Here is a headline for you:
At a daylong meeting in Vancouver yesterday, the leaders of the Columbia River Crossing project announced that the start of construction would be pushed back another two years as the bridge tries to dig up money. So far, Oregon and Washington have spent $145 million planning the bridge. From The Columbian‘s report:
[Washington] state’s Deputy Transportation Secretary David Dye emphasized the importance of the project, stressing that both Oregon and Washington must commit money soon. Dye chalked up the latest timing setback to “funding realities.”
It also puts the project’s major construction start time in a place where it’s been since 2008: two years away. In 2008, plans for construction were set for 2010, and by 2010, word was construction would start in 2012.
Funding isn’t the only problem. The Coast Guard refuses to sign off on the as planned bridge because it is too low. By about thirty (30) feet! The designers were told several times that this is unacceptable, but the dumb shits just ignored what they were told. It’s my understanding that the bridge can’t just be raised (without making it a lot longer) because light rail can’t climb more than a 2.8% grade. The designers should be fired and made to pay the $145 million, and climbing, back. I will be 76 in July and I will bet I will never see this bridge in my lifetime, which, admittedly may not be much longer. Who knows. It seems that a much better idea would be to build a 3rd bridge where 192nd Ave meets with SR 14. Make it like the I-205 bridge and have it junction with Marine Drive and I-80. That would take a lot of traffic off the existing bridge. But what do I know.
As candidate against the cheer leader in the Oregon House (Tina Kotek) I can say this bridge is way more expensive than similar bridges throughout the nation. Tina is cheer leading a TOLL BRIDGE to Debt and she will not back down.
I however advocate looking at other bridge solutions which are 10% or less the actual cost of her bridge solution that she is pushing.
As for the other comment… There is three other bridges offered in the region which would ease congestion, as well as alternatives for this monstrosity of a bridge (One of which is equal in all aspects as this bridge, but at minimum 3 billion dollars cheaper)
I am Michael Harrington, and I endorse removing the bridge in consideration, firing the current bridge commission, and creating a new group to look at the alternatives and at bridges made through the nation (and the Construction Companies that built them) and getting bids after contacting such companies as do make bridges.