Note: I'm currently on a family trip and not working normal hours. Email and message responses will be delayed and story and posting volumes here and on our social media accounts will not be at their usual levels until I return to Portland August 12th. Thanks for your patience and understanding. - Jonathan Maus, BikePortland Publisher and Editor
The Columbia River Crossing project seeks to build a new bridge over the Columbia river between Oregon and Washington at Interstate 5.
For more information, read my coverage of this topic in the articles below.
[For links to more local media coverage of this issue, click here.]
(All photos © J. Maus) The Columbia River Crossing project — A $4.2 billion plan to improve safety and relieve congestion on I-5 between Portland and Vancouver — continues to hit speed bumps. On Friday, a coalition of 13 groups issued a press release calling for a 60-day extension to the official comment period currently … Read more
Below is the official press release… Thirteen Organizations Request More Time to Comment on Columbia River Crossing (Portland, OR) On May 21, 2008, thirteen organizations requested 60 additional days to comment on the plan to replace and expand the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River. The organizations made the request because the public needs more … Read more
“Moreso than any other project I can think of, this project has had the most divergent set of opinions within the BTA in a long time… We are still having a hard time stating our positions.”— BTA executive director Scott Bricker After a year of working in good faith with the staff of the Columbia … Read more
The CLF wants you to think about a Climate Smart CRC. There’s a lot going on with the Columbia River Crossing project. The much-anticipated Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been released and we are now in a 60-day public comment period (that ends July 1st). Comments on the DEIS will help regional decision makers choose … Read more
This article was written by North Portland resident and member of the Smarter Bridge coalition, Matthew Denton. Mr. Denton shares his evaluation of the bicycle and pedestrian facilities that are being proposed as part of the $4.2 billion Columbia River Crossing project. It was first published on SmarterBridge.org and some edits have been made for … Read more
The chorus of criticism determined to put a stop to the CRC project is getting louder. Economist Joe Cortright — an outspoken voice in opposition to the $4.2 billion Columbia River Crossing project — gave a presentation to the Portland Planning Commission on Tuesday and a group with major concerns about the CRC have launched … Read more
One thing that makes the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project such a headache for policy makers, and for anyone trying to make sense of the debate, is that it involves two places with very different ideas about planning for transportation and population growth.
(Photo © J. Maus) As key decision points approach for the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project, chatter about how we move forward is heating up in Portland. Local media, bike and environmental groups, and Portland’s City Council are beginning to make their voices heard about the estimated $4.2 billion project. On Monday of this week, … Read more
UPDATE, 3/3: The Columbia River Crossing project staff have issued a memo refuting Cortright’s claims. Download that memo here (300 KB, PDF). Economist Joe Cortright(BikePortland file photo) Economist Joe Cortright, who reported last June that Portland’s “green policies” add $2.6 billion into the local economy, has once again set his sights on debunking the Columbia … Read more
“My view of this bridge is that we’ve got to move freight…isn’t it conceivable they [bikes and peds] would ride across the bridge on whatever kind of transit option is offered, rather than building separate accommodation that just drives the cost of this already unbelievably expensive structure up?”–Sen. Betsy Johnson On Tuesday of this week, … Read more
Whether you’re for or against the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) team’s efforts to build a new I-5 bridge over the Columbia River, it’s a good idea to stay informed on what they’re thinking about for the bike and pedestrian facilities. On that note, I shared a photo last week taken by a member of the … Read more
This bridge in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) is an example of what could be in store for a new I-5 bridge. (More photos below. Photos by Todd Boulanger)