Yellowline Extends on Replacement Bridge to Vancouver, WA

Jeff Mize, a reporter at The Columbian in Clark County WA, covers the Columbia River Crossing. Here’s a section from his article, “Two Sides Clearly Divided on Bridge”:

Comparing options Crossing officials have come up with a matrix showing the different implications of an eight-, 10- or 12- lane bridge.

A 12-lane bridge would result in less congestion, fewer accidents and less traffic diverting to the I-205 bridge than the other alternatives. A 12-lane bridge, unlike the other two options, would not create unsafe “hot spots” at freeway interchanges or cause clogged freeway traffic to spill over onto local streets.

On the downside, a 12-lane bridge would cost $100 million more than a 10-lane project and $180 million more than an eight-lane option.

Metro Council President David Bragdon said officials agree on a number of issues, including the need to replace the bridge and to extend light rail into Vancouver. On the day a light-rail line opens connecting Portland and Vancouver, it would have the highest ridership of any route in the Portland-Vancouver area, he said.

“This is a very important project to do,” he said. “And it’s a very important project to do it right.”

For Bragdon, doing the project right means making sure there are no “unintended consequences,” namely triggering more sprawl by building a bridge with twice as many lanes as the current crossing. Read the full article.

Tags: Columbia River Crossing, Jeff Mize, The Columbian