Just a word of advice: if you've made a foot-in-mouth statement, don't call attention to it by asking if there's a reporter in the room.

And the reporter in the room yelled "NO TAKEBACKS!" and ran off giggling.

Well, it is stupid not to toll both bridges. Can you imagine the back-ups on the I-205 bridge if they don't toll it? On the other hand, it should be pretty clear sailing on the I-5 bridge.

It's a 10 mile detour to use the I-205 bridge from Vancouver to Portland. That's at least $1 in gas and probably 20-30 minutes in time.

Perhaps the detour argument is a bit overstated. Decreased congestion on I-5 will get more traffic out of Clackamas County than a lack of toll on I-205 will generate south of Mount Scott.

@Ujfoyt - That actually sounds pretty awesome. I don't have to go to the 'Couv very often during peak hours, but when I did I'd totally be willing to pay a toll to go to the front of the line.

Seems like all the East-West arteries would be clogged, too, from people trying to get over to the free bridge. Columbia, Sandy, and Marine Drive would just be chockablock full, right?

Reymont, I think that a lot of people would use I-205 at first, but after they realize how much more tiome they are spending in traffic, I think some would revert to using I-5. A lot of diehards, though, I think, woiuld stay with I-205. But not tolling (assuming the feds allow tolls, as they did in Tacoma) both bridges just puts the funding on probably the smallest amount of people. I am surprised at the number of Oregon license based plates I see south-bound on I-205 in the afternoon commute, Looks like there are commuters from both states, not just from Vancouver to Oregon.

Its not out of the way for east Clark County. About equal distance from SR500 to downtown Portland via I205 or I5. Same with SR 14. And those are about 2/3 of the lanes connecting to the I5 bridge. The issue for Clackamas County is not the traffic going to Clackamas County, its the convenience for freight in and out of the warehouse operations in the county near I205. If the I205 bridge is clogged, it becomes a lot less desirable location.

The real constituency here isn't the people who would switch to 205 if I-5 were tolled -- it's the East Vancouver/Camas people who already use the 205 bridge daily and would scream bloody murder at anyone who tolls their 30-year-old bridge to pay for west Vancouver's new one.

(As if taxpayers in west Vancouver ... and Portland ... and Peoria, Illinois ... hadn't all spent for years to pay for the 205 bridge, of course.)

Also: this is funny.