Join us for a forum on the Columbia River Crossing!
BTA Members’ Forum On the Columbia River Crossing Project
Led by BTA staff and Rex Burkholder
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
6:00 to 8:00 pm
PDC First Floor Conference Room
222 NW 5th Ave
Portland, OR 97207
A forum for BTA members only (not sure if you’re a current member? Email emily@bta4bikes.org to confirm).
RSVP required.
Details:
The I-5 Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project to update the freeway connection between Oregon and Washington has been in process for more than 5 years, and is the subject of considerable controversy as of late. Proponents of a new bridge argue that it must be constructed for safety reasons and to accommodate current traffic flow as well as projected increases in the coming decades. Opponents of a new bridge have questioned the decision-making process and raised concerns about the environmental and economic impacts of the project.
As advocates for bicycling, the CRC project raises many questions for us.
Will the project include world class bicycle and pedestrian facilities unlike anything we have ever seen before in this country?
Could we get those facilities without building an enormous multi-billion dollar bridge?
What effect will this project have on funding for all the other bicycle and pedestrian projects we need?
On Wednesday, April 16th, join us for a special forum for BTA members only on the Columbia River Crossing project. Metro Councilor and BTA co-founder Rex Burkholder will address the audience, followed by a presentation from Columbia River Crossing project staff and an opportunity for you to ask questions and make comments.
For those not familiar with the project, some of the possible bike and ped improvements are described in this document. For information on the entire project, check out the CRC website. In addition to the CRC materials, several articles on BikePortland.org discuss the potential sprawl instigated by the project, criticism of the bike/ped component, and concerns raised by the Coalition for a Livable Future. For a critical look at the economics of the project, read economist Joe Cortwright’s analysis here.
