(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
That didn’t take long.
Less than two weeks after the Columbia River Crossing was proclaimed dead, a non-profit in Vancouver is hosting an open house to gather “alternative proposals” to the “failed megaproject”. The event is being organized by ThirdBridgeNow.com, an advocacy group that has been pushing their vision of the I-5 crossing for years and who have been re-energized after the demise of the CRC.
“Come be part of the solution!” reads the event flyer. ThirdBridgeNow.com also lists nine steps they say can be taken now for “immediate congestion relief on I-5”:
1. Remove northbound HOV lane on I-5 in Portland
2. Add mid span lift to rail bridge reducing lift by over 85%
3. Realign exit to SR-14 from I-5, raising and lengthening exit
4. Announce lift times on reader boards
5. Construct full north/south on/off ramps at Lombard and I-5 inside Right Of Way
6. Resume buses routes that loop from residential into industrial areas, a One Stop Hop
7. Relocate ODOT Truck Permit Center to Hayden Meadows
8. Place gutter on current bridge to catch road run off and dispose correctly
9. Add a deck on eastside of current bridges for bike and pedestrian sidewalk
The event will be an informal open house with a celebratory atmosphere that will include live music and a raffle. It goes from 4:30 to 9:00 pm tomorrow (7/11) at The Academy, 400 East Evergreen Blvd in Vancouver.
— Read more coverage of the Columbia River Crossing project.