Video courtesy KOIN TV
Bob Ortblad asks area residents to imagine the noise and toxic pollution of 130,000 cars and 14,000 trucks will rain down on Vancouver’s future Public Market
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
When asked on KOIN News about the impact of the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR) on the Port of Vancouver’s Terminal 1, Administrator Greg Johnson vainly spins IBR’s massive bridge approaches.

“We think that it’s going to be tremendously complimentary,” Johnson stated.
Imagine the noise and toxic pollution of 130,000 cars and 14,000 trucks will rain down on Vancouver’s future Public Market!
The IBR continues to hide the devastation its bridge approaches will inflict on Vancouver and Hayden Island. The IBR has never presented realistic graphics or scale models of these approaches.
The IBR fraudulently disqualified an immersed tunnel alternative that would protect Vancouver, Hayden Island, and Fort Vancouver. An immersed tunnel will also enable the construction of a quiet and clean Vancouver Public Market.
Bob Ortblad MSCE, MBA
Seattle
Also read:
- POLL: After hearing state leaders describe the I-5 Bridge as vulnerable in an earthquake, what is your reaction?State and local leaders describe the I-5 Bridge as structurally at risk but recommend drivers continue crossing it while complex replacement plans unfold.
- WA and OR scale back I-5 Bridge ambitions as cost balloonsA $14.4 billion price tag prompts Washington and Oregon leaders to delay portions of the I-5 bridge project and prioritize just the main spans.
- Letter: ‘Now we have Engineer Bob telling us the I-5 Bridge needs replacing because it is built on shifting sand with wooden structures’Amboy resident Thomas Schenk critiques Democrat leadership, tax policies, and the addition of light rail to the I-5 Bridge, while urging Republican voters to participate more in midterm elections.
- The I-5 Bridge is vulnerable to collapse, but apparently not that vulnerableState leaders and Vancouver’s mayor warn about bridge safety, but insist it’s safe enough for daily use as they focus on moving forward with a costly replacement including light rail—despite decades of public resistance.
- Opinion: ‘This is not the best and most efficient use of the taxpayers’ funds’Ken Vance critiques the announced $14.4 billion I-5 Bridge replacement, questioning funding gaps, the insistence on light rail, unaddressed congestion, and transparency from state officials.






