Last Friday, the Cascade Bicycle Club expressed its concerns about current plans for the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) in an email to the Washington State Department of Transportation, which manages CRC planning.
David Hiller, Advocacy Director for the Cascade Bicycle Club, says that the Club plans to send more formal letters to Senator Patty Murray and to Congressman Brian Baird, who represents southwest Washington counties (and who expressed his own doubts about the CRC’s price tag to the editorial board of The Columbian in April), later this week.
From Hiller’s email:
“On behalf of the Cascade Bicycle Club and our more than 11,000 members in Washington State, we are pleased to provide input on the proposed Columbia River Crossing project.
Cascade Bicycle Club believes the plan to replace the six-lane I-5 Columbia River Crossing (CRC) with a 12-lane one is too costly, will promote sprawl, car use for short, discretionary trips and related climate pollution. As proposed, we believe that it would make more difficult compliance with RCW 47.01.440 – the state’s VMT reduction law. We cannot envision a scenario, given sufficient tolling, where more than six-lanes will be needed for general purpose traffic and motor-freight. Finally, a twelve-lane bridge would support and subsidize poor land-use and transportation planning in Clark County, Washington.
We agree that there is a need to move the most essential trips, such as motor-freight, at the closest to free-flow conditions possible. However, that goal is never served by adding capacity. Rather, any new bridge must be priced to effectively manage demand. For an example of appropriate pricing, one need only look downstream to the Lewis and Clark Bridge to see what we were able to accomplish in another era. Opened in 1930, the Lewis and Clark bridge toll was $1.00 per vehicle, each way – or $12.78 in 2008 dollars. In addition to funding the bridge’s construction, the relatively steep toll undoubtedly managed short, discretionary trips. The same example must be followed on any replacement bridge.
Cascade Bicycle Club supports co-development of any replacement bridge with the regional MAX light rail system. However, Clark County and the city of Vancouver must demonstrate a willingness to mandate transit supportive densities and good urban form proximate to transit stations before the arrival of light rail.
Finally, we expect adherence to 23 USC 217(e) in the construction of the replacement bridge. Compliance would necessitate a continuous nonmotorized facility that meets or exceeds all state and federal standards. Further, to maximize its utility there must be a high degree of connectivity between the nonmotorized facility and the adjacent communities. Finally, the design and construction of all interfaces between the CRC must support good urban form; maintaining safe, direct, and convenient travel for pedestrians and bicyclists on all surface streets where they are allowed.
Thank you,
David Hiller
Advocacy Director
Cascade Bicycle Club”
