Artists rendering.
(Graphic: CRC)

Columbia River Crossing project staff announced today that they've awarded a $4.22 million contract to begin "pre-construction" of the estimated $3.5 billion project.

The contract will go to a Washington-based firm (Max J Kuney Company). In a press release, the CRC project said the firm will, "conduct a construction techniques test project in early 2012."
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I want the new freeway to be this wide!

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has some explaining to do.

LaHood, who famously stood on a tabletop and thanked bike advocates for their hard work at the 2010 National Bike Summit and later posted on his blog that, "This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized," has now become an enthusiastic booster of the Columbia River Crossing project — a five-mile long, highway widening mega-project being proposed by the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation. (more...)

This morning the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) and the Coalition for a Livable Future (CLF) announced an appeal of Metro's decision last month to pass the project's Land Use Final Order (LUFO).

According to Metro, the LUFO, "is a remarkably streamlined bit of Oregon land use law, making it easier for a project to move past inevitable land use appeals." It was originally created for a light rail project, say its critics, not a massive highway expansion and bridge project.

Here's why the NECN and CLF are opposed to it (from their statement): (more...)

The CRC FEIS, now available for viewing
at locations throughout Portland.
(Photo © J. Maus)

It's been several months since I last chimed in on the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project.

Somehow, despite many lingering questions — especially around its funding plan — the $3.5 billion project which has been a roller-coaster of controversy and stops and starts over last several years — seems to have gained a bit of momentum. Or, as noted local architecture critic Brian Libby puts it, the "Frankenstein lurches closer to life."

On September 8th, Metro council (led by ardent CRC supporter Tom Hughes) voted 5-0 in support of the CRC's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). To give you an idea of the importance and context of that vote, here's a snip of reporting on it from The Columbian: (more...)

Parking garages will cost $178 million.

Love it or hate it, the Columbia River Crossing project is marching forward. Fast (in mega-project terms). Below is a run-down of recent developments and news tidbits...

Metro's Leap of Faith
On June 9th, Metro voted 5-1 in favor of a CRC resolution (Councilor Carl Hosticka was the lone no vote). The vote was a nod to CRC project staff and state DOTs from Oregon and Washington that they had "addressed satisfactorily" a list of 11 issues with the current plan initially raised by Metro back in 2008. (more...)

Local scrutiny on the controversial, $3.6 billion Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project is heating up again ahead of a key Metro Council vote on the project Thursday.

At stake with the vote is whether or not to grant full approval of the locally preferred alternative Metro adopted back in 2008. At that time, Metro adopted the plans for the project; but there were several issues they said had to be addressed before they'd give it their full blessing.

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and the Coalition for a Livable Future (CLF), advocacy groups who have been tracking the project for years, both claim that those issues have not been addressed and now they are rallying troops in hopes that Metro will vote no on the project. (more...)

One of three park-and-rides being proposed by the CRC project. Image taken from a presentation on the facilities which you can download here.

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Still from video showing proposed new
bridge to Hayden Island.
— Watch it below —

Citizen activist Spencer Boomhower (the man behind the widely acclaimed Idaho Stop Law animation, among others) has released a new video that highlights a different approach to improving mobility between Oregon and Washington.

Boomhower's latest compares and contrasts the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project — which is favored by state DOTs, governors, and Mayors on both sides of the river — with what is known as the Common Sense Alternative (CSA). (more...)

House Joint Memorial 22, a bill in the Oregon legislature that some feared would have sent a strong message to the federal government in support of the controversial Columbia River Crossing project, made it out of committee yesterday; but the version that was voted on is much different than the original.

As we reported last month, the original version of HJM 22 urged the federal government to fund the controversial project. The bill was far from objective and, in addition to urging federal investment, it characterized the project as a "comprehensive solution" that was needed to "expand capacity" of I-5 between Oregon and Washington. (more...)

20 Oregon legislators — 8 Republicans, 12 Democrats — have issued a letter of concern over the Columbia River Crossing highway expansion project. The letter, dated March 28th, comes on the heels of a public hearing for House Joint Memorial 22, a bill that would have urged the federal government to fund the controversial CRC project.

Here's the opening of the letter (download PDF here): (more...)

Oregon lawmakers will weigh in on the controversial Columbia River Crossing project this Monday when House Joint Memorial 22 (text) gets a public hearing and possible vote in the House Transportation and Economic Development Committee.

HJM 22 is a pro-CRC statement that, "urges the federal government" to fund the project. If passed, it would send a strong message that Oregon is behind the project and a copy of the statement would go to President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker of the House John Boehner, every member of the Oregon Congressional Delegation and to US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood.

Here's an excerpt from the text of HJM 22: (more...)

Artwork copyright Mark Markovich
- Download full size -

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Signs of life abound for the
controversial project.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Rolling with momentum in recent weeks from national and statewide elected officials, the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project will be the focus of a public forum in Northeast Portland tonight.

The event is being hosted by the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, an umbrella non-profit that represents 12 neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland. At tonight's forum, residents will be able to share their opinion about the project with local leaders including Metro President Tom Hughes, Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder, and state representatives Tina Kotek, Lew Frederick and Chip Shields. (more...)

Stop the CRC, a grassroots volunteer network of activists opposed to the Columbia River Crossing project, has released a new poster. Check it out...

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For those of you following the CRC project, an important meeting of the all-powerful Project Sponsors Council is coming up on November 12th. Press release is below...

Project Sponsors Council meets November 12

VANCOUVER – The Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council will hear an update about the Bridge Type Expert Review Panel at its next meeting Friday, Nov. 12.

Tom Warne, chair of the Expert Review Panel, will describe the panel’s work to date and expected next steps. In addition, the Project Sponsors Council will discuss a new work plan proposed by the Integrated Project Sponsors Council Staff (IPS), which includes sub-groups that will focus on project phasing, management and governance. Additional work topics are expected to include project advisory groups, schedule, mitigation, updated cost estimates and other topics.

The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Region 1 office of the Oregon Department of Transportation, 123 NW Flanders Street in Portland. It is open to the public. Meeting materials will be posted online as they are available at http://www.columbiarivercrossing.org/ProjectPartners/PSCMeetingMaterials.aspx.

The Project Sponsors Council is composed of representatives from the Washington and Oregon departments of transportation, cities of Portland and Vancouver, Metro, Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council, TriMet, and C-TRAN, as well as two citizens who serve as co-chairs for the group. The governors of Oregon and Washington charged the Project Sponsors Council with advising the project on completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement, project design, project timeline, sustainable construction methods, consistency with greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and the financial plan.

Written comments may be submitted on the CRC project at any time at feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org. More information is available on the CRC project Web site: www.columbiarivercrossing.org.

Citizen uber-activist and professional animator Spencer Boomhower has released a thoughtful new video on the Columbia River Crossing Project. You might remember Boomhower as the guy who created the Idaho Stop Law animation that spread nationwide and has since been viewed over 44,000 times.

Boomhower says he put out his latest video on the CRC project because he wanted people to know more about the project in advance of a crucial vote for Metro President. One candidate in that race, Tom Hughes, supports the project. The other, Bob Stacey, opposes it (the two were separated by only a few percentage points in the primary). (more...)

Mayor Adams and Metro President David
Bragdon at today's meeting.
(Photos © J. Maus)

A key group of elected officials and transportation bigwigs from Oregon and Washington convened this morning and agreed to adopt a major set of recommendations that will move the Columbia River Crossing project forward. The Project Sponsors Council unanimously agreed to push ahead on a 10-lane bridge and also agreed on significant changes to the Hayden Island interchange. (more...)

Ross Kenney shared this photo of the bike and walking facilities
on the Banpo Bridge, suggesting that they are similar to the ideas proposed for the Columbia River Crossing
(Photo: Ross Kenney)

BikePortland reader Ross Kenney writes to us that he moved this fall from Portland to Seoul, South Korea to teach English. He included some photos and notes on the state of bicycling infrastructure there. (more...)

Peter DeFazio, in his office on
Capitol Hill back in March.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Portland Tribune reports that U.S. Congressman Peter DeFazio has spoken out against current plans for the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project.

Echoing a popular sentiment around the project these days, DeFazio -- who chairs the all-important House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee -- told the Tribune that "What has been designed so far is sort of the optimal project, and we can’t afford that."
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The current I-5 bridge over
the Columbia.
(Photo © J. Maus)

We reported last week that the Bicycle Transportation Alliance has decided to resign from the the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for the Columbia River Crossing project.

A new post to the BTA blog by advocate Michelle Poyourow goes into detail about this decision. The post particularly outlines the BTA's concerns about the project's direction, its process, and their disappointment in the evolution of was once touted as a "world class" bicycle and pedestrian facility.
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