MAYOR SAM ADAMS pulled a surprise move last week that should
make greenies proud: He showed some backbone by pushing for a greener
Columbia River Crossing (CRC) bridge.

The debate over the new 1-5 bridge to Vancouver has hinged on the
number of lanes it will include. In 2008, project partners—after
considering a flood of public input—opted to move forward with
the “smallest bridge possible.” But this winter, when the time came to
actually choose the number of lanes on the bridge, Mayor Adams led the
Portland City Council in voting for the fattest option
available—up to 12 lanes.

At a Friday, June 5, meeting of nine CRC bigwigs, Adams took the
first steps to make sure the planners take that “up to” seriously.
Looking at ways to cut down the big bridge’s big $4.2 billion budget,
Adams piped up, “Is everything on the table, including lane capacity?
I’d like to see that put on as choice on the ‘menu of choices’ we can
be looking at for cost and performance goals.” That request opens the
door to cut the number of lanes on the bridge if planners need to cut
the budget.

Adams also pushed to flip the current “stacked” plan, which would
place cars on a top roadway and bikes, pedestrians, and light rail on a
lower level of the bridge that some fear will resemble a cave.

“I would like a study on the potential for the transit and bike-ped
to be on the top deck and the cars underneath,” said Mayor Adams. The
room fell quiet for a moment. “That’s the first I’ve heard of that.
Reversing the stack, will that work?”asked another project member.

Also up for debate are new bridge tolls. A peak hour $4 toll on the
I-5 and 205 bridges would raise the most money and reduce traffic, but
Vancouver City Council Member Tim Leavitt wondered aloud if
“hard-working families” can financially handle such a hefty toll.

Money has already been a sticking point for the $4.2 billion bridge.
When Leavitt mentioned reports that some Oregon legislators fought
against approving $30 million for the project from the state’s strapped
budget, Oregon Department of Transportation Director Matthew Garrett
got huffy.

“We will cut a ribbon on this project,” Garrett said. “Make no
mistake about that.”

Sarah Shay Mirk reported on transportation, sex and gender issues, and politics at the Mercury from 2008-2013. They have gone on to make many things, including countless comics and several books.

4 replies on “Mayor McBackbone”

  1. It appears as if Sam is trying to manipulate as much support as he can to battle the recall effort. The recall issue continues to be his lying, fraud, and corruption while seeking election. His lying and lack of integrity has continued following election. He still seems more interested in his own welfare rather than the interest of Portland residents.

  2. Yes, because a small group of extreme right wing nut cases meeting at Nick’s Famous Coney Island is scaring the shit out of him.

  3. How much backbone does it actually take for a politician to speak up suggesting ideas that the public wants? Next up, Sam will be extolling the virtues of playing with children, petting bunnies, and going to the Wonder Ballroom on July 7 to see the Jim Rose Circus.

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