Wednesday, December 20, 2006
New I-5 Bridge
Hey, did you guys know they are planning out a new I-5 Bridge over the Columbia River?
They want to try to relieve some of the traffic problems by adding a third lane at the "bottleneck" at Delta Park and by replacing the green I-5 Bridge over the Columbia.
The other reason they need to replace the bridge is that it no longer meets safety codes for interstate freeways.
The Columbia River Crossing Task Force has been looking at various options for about a year. Basically using process of elimination, they have narrowed it down to two options:
A. New medium-height (no lift-span) bridge
Bus Rapid Transit
Express Bus service
B. New medium-height (no lift-span) bridge
Light Rail
Express Bus service
So now the choice is between Light Rail or Bus Rapid Transit.
(I posted more information on these forms of mass transit as a comment.)
The only thing I am worried about is that they still seem to be considering widening the freeway over the bridge from 3 lanes to 4 lanes. This seems illogical because it is impractical to widen the rest of I-5 into Portland to 4 lanes. So all it would do would be to create another bottleneck.
Widening I-5 all the way into Portland would increase capacity. However, I believe this would not be ethical for two primary reasons.
A. Widening I-5 would mean demolishing more houses in North Portland.
B. More capacity means more cars and more pollution. The effects of the traffic pollution are felt by the residents of North Portland, not the residents of Vancouver who produce it. Thus the true cost of driving is not felt by those committing the act. Rather, it is felt by the powerless and voiceless poor who live along the freeway.
I also am crossing my fingers that the final bridge design is interesting and distinct as apposed to something resembling the I-205 Glen Jackson Bridge (which clearly wasn't designed with aesthetics in mind).
What do you guys think?
The Columbia River Crossing Project website is http://www.columbiarivercrossing.org/
They want to try to relieve some of the traffic problems by adding a third lane at the "bottleneck" at Delta Park and by replacing the green I-5 Bridge over the Columbia.
The other reason they need to replace the bridge is that it no longer meets safety codes for interstate freeways.
The Columbia River Crossing Task Force has been looking at various options for about a year. Basically using process of elimination, they have narrowed it down to two options:
A. New medium-height (no lift-span) bridge
Bus Rapid Transit
Express Bus service
B. New medium-height (no lift-span) bridge
Light Rail
Express Bus service
So now the choice is between Light Rail or Bus Rapid Transit.
(I posted more information on these forms of mass transit as a comment.)
The only thing I am worried about is that they still seem to be considering widening the freeway over the bridge from 3 lanes to 4 lanes. This seems illogical because it is impractical to widen the rest of I-5 into Portland to 4 lanes. So all it would do would be to create another bottleneck.
Widening I-5 all the way into Portland would increase capacity. However, I believe this would not be ethical for two primary reasons.
A. Widening I-5 would mean demolishing more houses in North Portland.
B. More capacity means more cars and more pollution. The effects of the traffic pollution are felt by the residents of North Portland, not the residents of Vancouver who produce it. Thus the true cost of driving is not felt by those committing the act. Rather, it is felt by the powerless and voiceless poor who live along the freeway.
I also am crossing my fingers that the final bridge design is interesting and distinct as apposed to something resembling the I-205 Glen Jackson Bridge (which clearly wasn't designed with aesthetics in mind).
What do you guys think?
The Columbia River Crossing Project website is http://www.columbiarivercrossing.org/
# posted by Brian Tang @ 11:34 AM 
Comments:
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LIGHT RAIL is what the MAX train in Portland is. (It has its own, dedicated lanes, or "right of way"). TriMet MAX web page is http://www.trimet.org/max/index.htm
BUS RAPID TRANSIT is basically the same thing but with buses running in their own right of way.
Eugene is opening a Bus Rapid Transit system on January 14th (as in next month). Their website is http://www.ltd.org/search/showresult.html?versionthread=d38519362672c662c61a9300c1dd78be
The advantage of light rail is that it would allow Vancouver to connect into Portland's incredible existing mass transit system. (To illustrate my point, Portland is often actually used as a model for cities looking to build light rail systems. You can view a list of their awards here http://www.trimet.org/about/awards.htm). Right now, the Yellow Line MAX comes all the way up to the Expo Center, so it wouldn't take much to extend it a few miles across the river. This way, if you are going into Portland, you won't have to transfer from a bus to the train.
I like to ride light rail more than buses because it is quieter, smoother, usually better designed, more spacious, and altogether cooler.
Bus Rapid Transit is also pretty cool. It would have a lower "capital" (initial) cost because you don't have to build the tracks or the overhead wires (and all of the electrical work that makes the overhead wires possible). However, if gas prices continue to climb, I don't think Rapid Transit Bus wouldn't necessarily be cheaper to run. One advantage of this option would be that it would be slightly more flexible than light rail.
Well, what do you all think?
I like the idea of having either light rail or Bus Rapid Transit in Vancouver. Maybe someday we'll have a real mass transit system here in Vancouver (I like C-Tran, but apparently other people don't because half the time there is hardly anyone on the bus. I still use their service to get to school even if it is inconvenient).
BUS RAPID TRANSIT is basically the same thing but with buses running in their own right of way.
Eugene is opening a Bus Rapid Transit system on January 14th (as in next month). Their website is http://www.ltd.org/search/showresult.html?versionthread=d38519362672c662c61a9300c1dd78be
The advantage of light rail is that it would allow Vancouver to connect into Portland's incredible existing mass transit system. (To illustrate my point, Portland is often actually used as a model for cities looking to build light rail systems. You can view a list of their awards here http://www.trimet.org/about/awards.htm). Right now, the Yellow Line MAX comes all the way up to the Expo Center, so it wouldn't take much to extend it a few miles across the river. This way, if you are going into Portland, you won't have to transfer from a bus to the train.
I like to ride light rail more than buses because it is quieter, smoother, usually better designed, more spacious, and altogether cooler.
Bus Rapid Transit is also pretty cool. It would have a lower "capital" (initial) cost because you don't have to build the tracks or the overhead wires (and all of the electrical work that makes the overhead wires possible). However, if gas prices continue to climb, I don't think Rapid Transit Bus wouldn't necessarily be cheaper to run. One advantage of this option would be that it would be slightly more flexible than light rail.
Well, what do you all think?
I like the idea of having either light rail or Bus Rapid Transit in Vancouver. Maybe someday we'll have a real mass transit system here in Vancouver (I like C-Tran, but apparently other people don't because half the time there is hardly anyone on the bus. I still use their service to get to school even if it is inconvenient).
Recent Columbia River Crossing newsletter I got:
"Help Decide Your Future Ride.
"Talk with us about proposed I-5 bridge, transit and highway improvements.
"Open houses planned for January – new dates added!
"It is decision time. We are looking for your input on a CRC staff proposal for a new I-5 bridge and improved public transportation between Clark County and Portland. Attend one of four open houses to learn more, talk with project staff, and share your comments.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Police Dept Training Room
507 SW First St.
Battle Ground, WA
C-TRAN Bus #173 Battle Ground Limited
Saturday, January 20, 2007
9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Lincoln Elementary School
4200 NW Daniels St.
Vancouver, WA
C-TRAN Bus #2 Lincoln
Thursday, January 25, 2007
4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME)
4134 N Vancouver Ave. (at Skidmore St.)
Portland, OR
TriMet Bus #40 Mocks Crest
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Across from Hayden Island Safeway
12050 N. Jantzen Dr.
Portland, OR
TriMet Bus #6 M.L. King Jr Blvd
"We want to hear from you! Submit comments at the open houses or send them to the project by mail, email, fax, or online (see contact info below). If received by February 16th, your comments will be included in the Task Force comment report one week prior to their Feb. 27th decision meeting.
"Fun for the whole family! Hands-on bridge building activities for kids will be led by Sharon Wood Wortman on January 20, 25, and 30. Local storyteller Maureen Pedone will share river and bridge stories on January 20 in Vancouver."
"Help Decide Your Future Ride.
"Talk with us about proposed I-5 bridge, transit and highway improvements.
"Open houses planned for January – new dates added!
"It is decision time. We are looking for your input on a CRC staff proposal for a new I-5 bridge and improved public transportation between Clark County and Portland. Attend one of four open houses to learn more, talk with project staff, and share your comments.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Police Dept Training Room
507 SW First St.
Battle Ground, WA
C-TRAN Bus #173 Battle Ground Limited
Saturday, January 20, 2007
9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Lincoln Elementary School
4200 NW Daniels St.
Vancouver, WA
C-TRAN Bus #2 Lincoln
Thursday, January 25, 2007
4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME)
4134 N Vancouver Ave. (at Skidmore St.)
Portland, OR
TriMet Bus #40 Mocks Crest
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Across from Hayden Island Safeway
12050 N. Jantzen Dr.
Portland, OR
TriMet Bus #6 M.L. King Jr Blvd
"We want to hear from you! Submit comments at the open houses or send them to the project by mail, email, fax, or online (see contact info below). If received by February 16th, your comments will be included in the Task Force comment report one week prior to their Feb. 27th decision meeting.
"Fun for the whole family! Hands-on bridge building activities for kids will be led by Sharon Wood Wortman on January 20, 25, and 30. Local storyteller Maureen Pedone will share river and bridge stories on January 20 in Vancouver."
I think that a light rail system would be great, but I'm not sure where they'd have it go in vancouver. As you said, C-tran already gets complaints that bus routes don't have many passengers. If there was a large need for mass transit, it'd be really cool to see, but for now, I think that the express busses from the 134th park-n-ride to Portland should be enough.
-Also, do you know when C-Tran plans to remove that Park-N-Ride, and switch to the one by the new Target/Best Buy?
-Also, do you know when C-Tran plans to remove that Park-N-Ride, and switch to the one by the new Target/Best Buy?
Whoah. I went to C-Tran's website, and it appears that thye plan to close 7th street. I'm not sure if that will be in addition to, or instead of 134th. I'll ask my dad (who works at C-Tran)
I also saw this:
http://c-tran.com/img/Biofuels2.jpg
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I also saw this:
http://c-tran.com/img/Biofuels2.jpg
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