Dear Neighborhood Leaders, Representatives and Friends of NACCC,
What follows is a message regarding the Columbia River Crossing Project. Please pass this along to members in your neighborhood association and others who might be interested in this project. Thanks.
Regards,
Doug Ballou
Chairman, NACCC
Greetings from the Columbia River Crossing project officeThis is a regular update for people interested in the latest information about the project. Highlights in this issue:
Task Force narrows options
Recruitment for Community and Environmental Justice Working Group underway
600 people and counting . . . Help us reach out
The CRC project makes house calls: We’ll come to you
How to stay connected and involved
* Task Force narrows options
In May, the 39-member bi-state Task Force advising the Columbia River Crossing project completed its recommendations on the ideas that should be further studied to improve travel efficiency and safety on I-5 between Vancouver and Portland.
River crossing ideas to advance:
- Low-level replacement bridge that would open for marine traffic (RC-1, RC-2)
- Mid-level replacement bridge (RC-2, RC-3)
- Low-level supplemental bridge that would open for marine traffic (RC-7, RC-8)
- Mid-level supplemental bridge downstream of existing structure (RC-9)
- Tunnel to supplement the existing bridge (RC-13)
- Arterial crossing combined with improvements to I-5 (RC-23)
Ideas dropped from future consideration include high-level bridges that would have encroached into Pearson Air Park air space, a long tunnel to replace the I-5 bridges and a new highway crossing outside of the I-5 corridor.
Transit ideas to advance:
- Express busses (TR-1, TR-2)
- Bus rapid transit (TR-3, TR-4)
- Light rail (TR-5)
- Streetcar (TR-6)
- Commuter rail (TR-11)
Ideas dropped include high speed rail, heavy rail, magnetic levitation railway, ferry, monorail, personal rapid transit and automated guideway transit.
The ideas selected to move forward will be packaged into alternatives with several different components that also make improvements to I-5 between Victory Boulevard in Portland and SR 500 in Vancouver. As more information is learned, the remaining ideas will be considered further and some additional ones will be eliminated in the next several months. By the end of this year, a set of 3-4 of the strongest alternatives will be selected for detailed engineering and cost analysis.
The next Task Force meeting is Wednesday, June 14, 4 – 8 p.m. in Portland at the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, 4134 N Vancouver Avenue. The community is invited and welcome to attend.
* Recruitment underway for the Community and Environmental Justice Working Group
To ensure that people affected by the project are directly involved and are able to provide input, the CRC team is forming a working group of people who live near I-5 and/or who represent low-income, African-American, Latino, Vietnamese and Russian-speaking populations. The group will have an intensive training program later this summer and will then meet monthly to assist the project through the selection of a locally preferred alternative. The June Task Force meeting will feature a presentation on Environmental Justice by John Ridgeway of the Washington Department of Ecology. For more information, contact us at
feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org.
* 600 people and counting . . . Help us reach out
Over the last four months, we’ve met with more than 600 residents of Portland and Vancouver to share information and receive input about potential improvements to I-5 and the bridge.
This summer, we’ll be out in the community at fairs, festivals, and special meetings. Look for us at these events to learn more about the project, or call us to schedule a speaker for your next meeting.
June 1, 2006 – 7 p.m.
Shumway Neighborhood Association meeting
3101 Main St., Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Media Center
June 2, 2006 – 11 a.m. to close
Portland Rose Festival
Columbia River Crossing will have a booth in Waterfront Village in the Green Zone, just south of Morrison Bridge.
June 8, 2006 – 7 p.m.
Hudson’s Bay Neighborhood Association meeting
McLoughlin Heights, Church of God, E 9th and Winchell, Vancouver
June 9, 2006 – 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Kenton Neighborhood Association general meeting
Kenton Lodge, 8130 N. Denver Ave., Portland
June 16-18, 2006
Juneteenth Celebration
Peninsula Park, Portland
Columbia River Crossing will have a booth.
June 20, 2006 – 6: 30 p.m.
Rosemere Neighborhood Association
Location to be announced, Vancouver
Contact
dvija@pacifier.com for location
June 20, 2006 – 7 p.m.
Meadow Homes Neighborhood Association meeting
Jim Parsley Center, Vancouver
June 20, 2006 – 7 p.m.
Hough Neigh Association meeting
Hough Elementary School, 1900 Daniels St (at McLoughlin), Vancouver
June 21, 2006 – 8 a.m.
Uptown Village Association
Vancouver Housing Authority, 2500 Main St., Vancouver
June 21, 2006 – 7 p.m.
Bridgeton Neighborhood Association meeting
Columbia School, 716 NE Marine Dr (at NE Bridgeton), Portland
* The CRC project makes house calls: We’ll come to you
We are eager to include as many people as we can in this conversation. A broad outreach effort has begun to expand community discussion and involvement. If you would like a project team member to meet with you and our neighbors, employees, or group, please contact us at 360-737-2726 or 503-256-2726 or send an email to
feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org. We look forward to hearing from you.
* Stay connected and involved!
The Columbia River Crossing project encourages neighbors, commuters and other interested people to be informed about the project. We invite you to...
Stay on this email list - and pass it on to your friends! If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe by sending an email to
feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org.
Watch the project Web site for more information:
http://www.columbiarivercrossing.org/Ask questions! Email or call us: 1-866-396-2726 or
feedback@columbiarivercrossing.orgThank you for your ongoing interest in this important regional project.
-The Columbia River Crossing project team
