Couv's mayor: "Let me say it again, light rail will come to Vancouver"
 

Vancouver mayor: Put light rail on new bridge
Transportation - Royce Pollard wants tolls to help pay for the new crossing and a vehicle tax for other needs
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
ALLAN BRETTMAN
The Oregonian

VANCOUVER -- Royce Pollard rarely misses an opportunity to declare he is mayor of "America's Vancouver."

But on Tuesday, he almost sounded like he was mayor of Oregon's Portland.

Pollard, delivering his annual State of the City address, embraced light rail, saying he wouldn't support an Interstate 5 bridge replacement plan that didn't include it. He said vehicle tolls would be essential to pay for the new bridge. And he said that a $20-per-vehicle license tax would be needed for new transportation projects elsewhere in the city.

And then he talked at length about global warming, compact fluorescent light bulbs, hybrid vehicles, environmental building standards, increasing the city's tree canopy, and an imaginary conversation with an Alaska glacier.

Pollard, 67, usually takes his hourlong annual speech to review the past year's highlights, with only an occasional controversial remark. Perhaps the most memorable "State" remark came in 2003, when the retired Army lieutenant colonel invited city critics "to seek a warmer climate and move."

But on Tuesday, he forcefully endorsed light rail, one of the most controversial topics in Clark County.

"I've said it before, but it bears repeating," Pollard said. "Vancouver and Clark County residents have the cheapest buy-in to one of the most successful light-rail systems in the world, the MAX system. There is over $5 billion invested in light rail across the river. We can tap into that system at a very minimal cost. And believe me, we'd be foolish not to."

Most, but not all, of the 400 people in the downtown Hilton Vancouver Washington applauded his light-rail remarks.

Referring to the county's resounding 1995 defeat of a sales tax to support light rail, Pollard said the county has changed into "a different and more progressive community than we were back then. . . . Let me say it again, light rail will come to Vancouver."

But it likely won't happen without support from other Southwest Washington public officials.

And after his speech, Vancouver City Councilwoman Jeanne Harris and two members of the Clark County Board of Commissioners, Betty Sue Morris and Steve Stuart, said Pollard's light-rail remarks were off base.

"He doesn't speak for the entire City Council," said Harris, who also is a board member of C-Tran, the county's public transit agency.

The board is weighing the merits of light rail and a bus rapid transit system across a proposed Interstate Bridge replacement.

Pollard's next controversial topic was supporting tolls to help pay for an Interstate Bridge.

That might be a dangerous stance. An estimated 60,000 people commute from Clark County to Oregon for their jobs and pay Oregon income tax, and many think they pay enough already. Oregon received nearly 55,000 income tax returns from Clark County in 2004, totaling about $121 million in income taxes. Only seven of Oregon's 36 counties paid more.

No matter.

"I stand before you today firm in my resolve that there will be tolls on the crossing," Pollard said.

The mayor's four-year term expires in Dec. 31, 2009. He did not give a definitive yes or no when asked if he would run for another term.

About that glacier:

Pollard, who in 2005 was among 358 mayors to sign the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, attended a mayors summit on climate change in Alaska last year.

"I saw for myself the results of warmer temperatures on the glaciers," Pollard said. "I even communicated with a glacier. . . . I did put my hand on the glacier. And the glacier said to me, 'Mayor of America's Vancouver, I'm melting. I'm melting. I'm melting, help me. . . . It didn't really say that."

Allan Brettman: 360-896-5746 or 503-294-5900; allanbrettman@ news.oregonian.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/orego...700.xml&coll=7

funny, i just posted this in the portland transit link

Even more reason to be beefing with the county commissioners. Let's disband the annexation board, let's block light rail. Oy Vey.

Vancouver WA- Pollard makes push for I-5 cap
 

Pollard makes push for I-5 cap

Sunday, January 28, 2007
BY DON HAMILTON


Mayor Royce Pollard is turning up the volume on his proposal to cover Interstate 5 through the downtown Vancouver corridor.

In a letter last week to the Columbia River Crossing, Pollard - he's Vancouver's representative on the task force - suggested capping the freeway from the bridge touchdown point in Vancouver north to Evergreen Boulevard, creating a tunnel of perhaps a few hundred yards.

Pollard said the cap would make room for a park or some other kind of public space, connect downtown more fully with the Fort Vancouver Historic Reserve and unite Vancouver's divided downtown.

"There's a scar there we have an opportunity to heal," Pollard said. "Why not do it?"

Columbia River Crossing is the task force empaneled by Oregon and Washington to look at building a new Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River. Next month, the group is set to launch a draft environmental impact statement, the most important bureaucratic step in the process so far. The report will look at building a new five- or six-lane bridge with room for light rail or bus rapid transit.

Pollard wants his proposal considered after the draft EIS is under way, as part of the process of looking at the finer bridge details, like alignment, lanes and interchanges.

The idea remains in the formative stage. Pollard said he realizes such a plan would be expensive but would be only a small part of the bridge project, which could total $6 billion, according to recent estimates from the Columbia River Crossing staff.

"Nothing's cheap anymore," he said. "But what is the value of correcting downtown?"

Capping a freeway isn't a new idea. In Seattle, the Washington State Convention & Trade Center crosses Interstate 5, as does Freeway Park, just a few blocks south of there.

Less successfully, a decade ago Portland Mayor Vera Katz proposed capping Interstate 405 along downtown Portland's west and south sides, a far more ambitious project than Pollard's modest plan. A large model of how it would look sat outside the Portland City Council chambers for years but was removed when Katz left office in 2005. Portland has not revisited the proposal.

Pollard hopes to have a cap proposal included as part of the bridge project but if rejected, the city could still make the proposal happen on its own.

The Vancouver City Council has not taken a position on his plan. Pollard said he expects to have the support of the business community.

As a member of the Crossing task force, Pollard will have his chance to present ideas to the 39-member panel in the months ahead, said Danielle Cogan, spokeswoman for the group.



Don Hamilton can be reached at 360-759-8010 and

don.hamilton@columbian.com

Article from http://www.thecolumbian.com

I'd love to see this happen. But 405 needs to be capped as well, and there are long stretches of I-5 in 'NoPo' which oughta be capped also.

Yupp it would be cool to have capped freeways in Vancouver. I agree the I-405 need to be capped too.

Sounds like a good plan for the 'couv.

I-5 really tore up vancouver when it was built. sounds like a great idea. maybe capping 405 will be reignited.

"maybe capping 405 will be reignited."

^ My thoughts exactly! :)

Does anyone know if there are pictures of the 405 model floating around out there? Or really any type of representation. I'm just wondering about the aesthetics of it all.

http://www.mindspring.com/~tbgray/prpics/31dtnpdx.gif

Capping of I-405 awaits citizens' considerable input
Portland Business Journal - June 26, 1998
by Brian K. Miller

As Mayor Vera Katz and the American Society of Landscape Architects prepare for the "Bridge the Divide, Cap I-405" open house at Pioneer Courthouse Square on July 2, a few more probabilities are known.

First, it's unlikely that the ASLA will recommend capping the entire stretch of the I-405 ditch between Northwest Hoyt Street and Southwest Fourth Avenue. The mayor and lead landscape architect Paul Morris of Portland-based McKeever/Morris Inc. instead expect there will be a number of smaller projects at different points along the route--nodes, the mayor calls them.

Second, Morris and the ASLA are looking at the ditch as having three distinct segments. The first segment is between Hoyt and Burnside, the second between Burnside and Highway 26, and the third between Highway 26 and Fourth Avenue.

Finally, Morris and the mayor are convinced that just about any idea for what to put on top of the capped portions is, if not probable, plausible. Anything from partial caps, like adding "wings" onto existing bridges for bicycle and pedestrian traffic, to full caps with high-tech campuses on top can be done--for a price, they said.

"Anything you want to envision has been done somewhere," said Morris, whose team has been researching success stories from other cities for the past six weeks.

One of the cities researched was Duluth, Minn. In 1992, the city completed construction of a freeway extension through its downtown waterfront, but did so with four tunnels that added 13 blocks to the city's downtown--most of which are utilized as open space.

Morris' research will be displayed at the open house Thursday at Pioneer Court House Square, where citizens will be asked to put in writing what they would like to see on top of the byway. The event will be set up for lunch (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) and right after work (4:30-6 p.m.).

The open house will be repeated at different locations July 9, 16 and 20, and will feature a 17-foot model of the project area as well as six educational exhibits. The exhibits will include what the areas looked like before I-405 was dug out, how the capping effort got started and capping projects from elsewhere around the globe.

The idea of capping the I-405--thought of by many, no doubt, but brought to life by Mayor Katz in her 1998 State of City address--is to reconnect the areas split from downtown when the freeway was installed.

Getting in my two cents worth, if reconnecting the area is the objective, then don't replace a hole with a wall of buildings. Keep it simple. Keep it public. Make it a park-like setting with sport courts and open space, gardens and amphitheaters. It's what we're known for; it's what we do best.
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/...ml?t=printable

Nice research work DaMan. I wish the illustration would have shown more of the area north of Jefferson, also, ground level views. It might really help to get this project rolling if such views were more readily available so the public could better visualize the range of potential in such a project. With so many square feet of land created this way, there'd be room for parks and buildings. If the engineering part could be managed cost effectively, this project would really be a huge aesthetic benefit to the city.

There were illustrations of the blocks all the way up to Glisan. Plus many perspective renderings.

MarkDaMan? Anything?

^I'm still looking. It appears both the PDC and Portland Online have buried documents related to the full cap study. I can find lots of mentions, but no plan. Everytime you click on the Northwest District Plan, where the cap mentions come up most, it takes you to the NW parking plan. I did find an untitled PDF on the Freeway Loop study. There is a lot of interesting information here with a master plan shown to be emerging in mid 2009.

http://www.portlandonline.com/shared....cfm?id=104959


This link below, on the last page of the PDF, does have a rendering of what was to be the first project, a parking garage with sports fields on top, but again, it isn't the project summary.

http://www.portlandonline.com/shared...e.cfm?id=85725

^ Wow - that looks like a cool project!

This project seems like a NO BRAINER to me...anyone else feel this way?

it does seem like a no-brainer, but i wonder how much it would cost to cap the blocks and put parks on top of them. i do think it'd be a great way to reconnect the cut off areas by creating a destination area and could allow PSU some expansion room

I can't believe how extensive the cap was going to be... the only images that I ever saw were part of the Burnside couplet plan, and that only included a small plaza on the block over 405 directly n or s of burnside.

However, if they tunnel I-5 under the river, apparently they will have to tunnel I-5 and 405 west til the 6th onramp, and south halfway down Macadam... so perhaps they are waiting on this one until they can make some bigger stuff happen?

I'm all for it, though. Getting rid of the blight of 405 and the 5 through the central city would immediately make land values skyrocket... I don't think anyone can underestimate the impact it would have. The only problem is that the railroad is pretty much impossible to move from the central eastside, since the grade change to get it back up to the surface in the NOPO railyards would be too great.

Actually, it is possible to tunnel the rail line as well. The grade would not be steep at all. Cost is the only limiting factor.

Portland and Vancouver both plan to cap the I-5, imagine driving from Vancouver to Portland, you will have a greatest tunnel trip!

I remember reading the economic analysis done for the Katz admin. and it was pretty interesting. Using updated numbers would be a good excersize. Mark seems to have great access to old reports, can you find that one Mr. Daman?

This is interesting...the stadium as part of the cap
http://www.portlandbaseballgroup.org...side_slide.jpg

That is a terrible idea!

Here's about the best information I could find. The page I've copied below has links that would have taken me to city documents, but each of the links attached to city documents are 'no longer available'. All of the newspaper articles are in the archive section, the Washington Post story might be worth the purchase, but I still don't think any of the initial renderings are available.

I-405 Cap:

Architects look at Katz’s idea of developing I-405 airspace Oregonian, 5.15.98

Idea of I-405 lid unleashes inspiration: A downtown exhibit draws the curious and enthusiastic, plus a smattering of doubters wondering about other priorities Oregonian, 7.3.98

No limits on imagination mayor generates some welcome excitement by seeking unlimited ideas for capping I-405 Oregonian, 7.8.98

Katz proposes to bridge Portland’s gap: Portlanders were asked to participate in changing the landscape of the I-405 Vanguard, 7.8.98

The new urban frontier Washington Post, 7.15.98

Most opt for park on I-405 freeway cap during public debut Daily Journal of Commerce, 7.27.98

Dream ahead to 2023—live, work, play atop 405 Oregonian, 10.5.98

Volunteers present City Council with I-405 ‘capping’ report Oregonian, 11.19.98

Katz appoints team to study how to cap I-405 Oregonian, 4.5.99

Portland caps: Series of concrete lids over a Portland freeway could create new land for development in a city fast running out of downtown space Urban Land, 7.1.99

"As for West End-Lower Goose Hollow, it has a huge potential. It is between downtown and Northwest Portland, with light rail running through it, a new park block nearby, easy freeway access, and soon a streetcar to run on 10th and 11th Avenues. In the 1970s, we cut a massive swath through 12 blocks of this neighborhood to build I-405. It was a thriving and prosperous neighborhood of schools, religious institutions, businesses and bookstores near the library. Normally, I would not advocate that we cover up our mistakes, but in this case I would make an exception. I propose that we cover sections of I-405 and bring back a great neighborhood. Above I-405, and in the neighborhoods surrounding it, we have the potential to build parks, design an urban high tech campus, provide parking, create pedestrian walks, build housing, office and retail space. There is no question, this will be a challenging project, but also very exciting for the future of the city. Again, both the Rose Quarter and West End/Lower Goose Hollow projects, along with the River District and North Macadam will relieve the pressure to build more housing in single family neighborhoods." Vera Katz, State of the City address, 1.22.98

"The ‘Bridge the Divide and Cap I-405’ effort is a way for us to reconnect neighborhoods and to reclaim the land for better use. It is a way to capture elements that are Portland. It is a catalyst for the development of adjacent blocks that have languished for the last 30 years because of the freeway. Today, thanks to the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Landscape Architecture Foundation, and nearly one thousand citizens who participated in this visioning process, we now have some great ideas of how to reclaim some of the valuable neighborhoods lost during the construction of the I-405 ditch." Vera Katz, I-405 Vision Study Announcement, 10.15.98

"’Anything you want to envision has been done somewhere,’ said Paul Morris, whose team has been researching success stories from other cities." Business Journal, 6.26.98

"Mayor Vera Katz has brought new energy to an old idea last talked about in the 1986 Central City Plan. Back then, unlike many other visionary parts of the plan, the idea didn’t generate much serious interest." Oregonian, 7.8.98

"To have any hope that the central city will absorb the job and population growth earmarked in the Region 2040 forecast, we’re gonna need some land." Randy Gragg, Oregonian, 10.11.98

"Katz says capping the interstate also would help reduce growth pressures in other neighborhoods. The city is trying to add 70,704 homes by 2017 to help reduce sprawl in the region." Oregonian, 4.5.99

"Last year, nearly 1,000 people enthusiastically offered up ideas to capture more of Portland’s growth in the central city, reconnect neighborhoods and make better use of vacant air space by capping the I-405 freeway." Vera Katz, Oregonian, 5.12.99

In Portland's 1988 Central City Plan [I-405 CCP.doc], city planners first identified building on top of I-405 as a future vision for the city. Ten years later in the 1998 State of the City speech, challenged the citizens of Portland to revive that vision and think creatively about what could be built above I-405 to bridge the neighborhood divide created by the construction of I-405. Capping the freeway will provide Portland with an opportunity to protect more growth impacts on existing neighborhoods and help protect the Urban Growth Boundary by focusing more growth in the downtown area.

With the American Society of Landscape Architects and over 1000 neighborhood and expert volunteers, created a detailed vision strategy that calls for capping 26 blocks of I-405 to create space for 2,000 new jobs, 2,600 new housing units, 1,300 parking spaces, six acres of parks, retail and entertainment space. A strategy team composed of developers, city and state transportation staff, neighborhood representatives and interested citizens are currently developing an implementation strategy. Their report is due early 2000.


Mayor's Economic Development liaison:
Linly Rees
Office of the Mayor
1221 SW Fourth Ave., Suite 340
Portland, OR 97204-1995
direct line: (503) 823-4277
e-mail: lrees@ci.portland.or.us
http://www.ci.portland.or.us/mayorstate/I.htm

I remember reading something that estimated feasiblity and costs on a block by block basis...

I think it was a 1999 report.

^To DaMan

That will be awesome for Portland.

And other one post about the capping on the dome, it sounds crazy idea to me.

^Even if the feasibility to build this, and the political will, isn't there, they have laid the groundwork for an incredible city addition when it does become cost effective, and even necessary when the downtown density is maxed. Vera might have been ahead of the city on this one, but her visioning will leave an incredible legacy long after she is no longer with us.

the report is called

Bridge the Divide and Cap I-405

and was completed October 1998. I cannot find a copy of it...yet

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS PRESENTS MAYOR VERA KATZ WITH VISION
STUDY TO "BRIDGE THE DIVIDE AND CAP I-405

PORTLAND- Today the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Community Assistance Team presented Mayor Vera Katz and the citizens of Portland with a vision study on reclaiming 26 downtown blocks in what is currently vacant air space over the I-405 freeway.

The "Bridge the Divide and Cap I-405 Vision Study" details concepts of how to recapture some of the 38 blocks bulldozed in 1965 for the construction of the I-405 freeway ditch. The result is projected to lead to: 1,000 housing units for 2,000 residents; 650,000 square feet of commercial space, generating 1800 permanent new jobs; 2,200 parking spaces; six acres of parks; two acres of indoor recreational uses and 50,000 square feet for civic/exhibition space.

As part of the ASLA's national centennial celebration "100 Years 100 Parks" project, the Oregon chapter of the ASLA and the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) took on the Mayor's State of the City challenge to envision possibilities of reclaiming parts of I-405. A Community Assistance Team (CAT), comprised of leading design, planning and engineering professionals from the Portland area, developed a "road map" of how a capping project would look from Glisan Street to 4th Avenue. Their assistance leveraged over $200,000 in pro bono services for the effort.

"I set out to spark peoples' imaginations and I am thrilled by the results. I want to thank the ASLA, the Landscape Architecture Foundation, and the thousand citizens who participated for their generous contribution to the City of Portland," said Katz. "If we are to keep Portland the livable city it is today, we must plan wisely for its future, by protecting and preserving our existing single family neighborhoods and focusing as much growth as possible in the central city. . . This process has taught us how to reconnect our neighborhoods, by enhancing our multi-modal transportation system by incorporating bicycle and pedestrian ways with light rail and freeway access, and for creating economic development opportunities in unique Portland tradition."

The "Bridge the Divide and Cap I-405 Vision Study" represents the combined efforts of the ASLA, the Mayor's Office and various neighborhoods, businesses, educational institutions, and city and state agencies, as well as over 1000 citizens. In what the Mayor called a "model of what a public involvement project should be" citizens participated in an Open House at Pioneer Square, three design workshops, and a consensus building workshop where all of the ideas were synthesized into one thematic concept map.

"Capping I-405 is an idea which follows the classic Portland spirit for creating a vision for the next millennium," said Portland developer John Carroll. "The preliminary plans provide glimpses of what the future holds, and I'd like to play a role because it has merit and is doable."

"This project sought to bridge the divide of I-405 by using a series of caps to reconnect eight key neighborhoods to the central city, while creating enhanced multi-modal transportation options and spurring economic development over currently vacant air space. At the same time, we are pleased to have developed a study that: 1) encourages private investment; 2) creates an inviting atmosphere; and 3) proposes structures that contribute to the urban and natural environment," said Paul Morris, President of McKeever/Morris, ASLA Oregon chapter trustee, and project manager for the "Bridge the Divide and Cap I-405" effort.

Of the eight areas, citizens identified two as priorities for redevelopment: Civic Stadium/West End and West Burnside, including the following projects:

Civic Stadium/West End: A "MAX Mixed-Use District" providing three new city blocks of retail/office/housing that reconnect the West End business and retail with the Civic Stadium area, while complementing the scale and design of the existing surrounding architecture and completing the light rail station located on top of the freeway. The "MAX Mixed Use District" was identified as one of the first priorities because it capitalizes on the intersection of the new Westside Light Rail line. Located between the Civic Stadium District and the West End District -- both of which have planning efforts underway -- the area offers excellent opportunities for intermediate investment and development.

West Burnside: A "Bright Light District" building on existing urban form to create a dynamic mixed-use entertainment and office center encompassing three new city blocks. It is composed of the public entertainment center with an expansive plaza that is surrounded by an Urban Conservatory, cafes, restaurants, shops, nightclubs, offices, housing, and parking.

Among the benefits of capping the freeway in the citizen-identified priority areas of MAX Mixed Use District and the Burnside Bright Light District, is the creation of new tax revenue. From an estimated 195,000 square feet of commercial space within the two priority areas, the projected tax revenue for the city is $625,429. The new funds could be used to help build infrastructure needed to support public/private developments.

Other project links emphasized for the Pearl District/Northwest Portland; Goose Hollow/PSU; and PSU/Duniway include:

Pearl District/NW: A sports recreation center, combining a mix of parking, retail, and athletic facilities into a sports complex that covers three new city blocks.

Goose Hollow/PSU: 1) "Main Street Commons," a three-block park set atop a 450-space parking structure with an outdoor gathering space, a plaza, and children's playground; 2) A civic and office center reinforcing the emerging activity in the West End and the Cultural Districts with civic/office and housing/retail development opportunities along Jefferson and Columbia Streets as major East-West connections to and from the downtown core; 3) "South Market Square" with neighborhood retail, shops, and services with affordable housing opportunities to the adjacent neighborhood and PSU.

PSU/Duniway: A PSU Expansion with an eye toward the future of high-technology and research, integrated with housing and local employment over two city blocks. Also, a "Broadway Round-About" helping to resolve a difficult driving experience centered around six key streets by redefining the flow of traffic through a traditional European scaled round-about, framed around the perimeter by two new blocks of housing.

Katz said she intends to appoint a steering committee of public and private stakeholders to oversee the predevelopment work, identify sources of funding, and coordinate building partnerships between the city, state and federal government for capping the freeway. The Mayor indicated she will announce further details and provide a progress report in her 1999 State of the City Address, January 22, 1999.

The American Society of Landscape Architects' "100 Parks, 100 Years" program commemorates ASLA's 100th anniversary in 1999 and celebrates 100 years of designing American landscapes. ASLA's 47 Chapters, located coast to coast and in Hawaii, will renovate or create 100 parks and greenspaces across the country. This charitable program will beautify America's neighborhoods, town and cities and create places for community life.

The American Society of Landscape Architects, founded in 1899, represents over 12,000 members nationwide. Landscape architecture is the comprehensive discipline of land analysis, planning, design, management, preservation and rehabilitation. Typical projects include site design and planning, town and urban planning, regional planning, preparation of environmental impact plans, garden design, historic preservation, and parks/recreation design and planning. Landscape architects hold undergraduate or graduate degrees. They are licensed to practice in 46 states and are required to pass a rigorous national three-day examination. For more information, visit our web site at www.asla.org.

wonder how this is going?

Clark County official says money isn't available for new bridge across Columbia
 

Clark County official says money isn't available for new bridge across Columbia
Posted by Allan Brettman February 16, 2007 19:13PM
Categories: Clark County

VANCOUVER -- Steve Stuart, chairman of the Board of Clark County Commissioners, has a simple question about the possibility of a new bridge spanning the Columbia River.

Where's the money going to come from?

Not many years ago, a speculative price tag of $1 billion for a new bridge was bandied about. Then it grew to $2 billion. And lately, Stuart says, transportation officials have said $6 billion is about right.

And 50 percent is the largest share the region should expect the federal government to pay, Stuart said.

Instead of such a pricey project, he laid out an alternative today that emphasized improved mass transit, reconfigured interchanges and other large-scale tweaks that he said would be less costly.

Stuart made the suggestions while delivering the annual state of the county address.

The speech covered several fronts:

Increased funding and enhanced strategies to combat the spread of methamphetamine use.

A promise that the commissioners would adopt a 20-year growth plan this year. Stuart noted that the county's population is a little more than 400,000 and projected to grow to 600,000 in 20 years.

He said the county will follow through on building all of the parks that were expected by voters in the unincorporated urban area of the county who approved creation of a parks taxing district in 2005.

Stuart's stance on transportation fell short of Vancouver Mayor Royce E. Pollard's declaration in January -- in that city's "state" speech -- that any new bridge proposal without light rail would not be tolerated.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingn..._says_mon.html

Poster promotes light rail
 

Tuesday, May 22, 2007
BY DON HAMILTON, Columbian staff writer

Nearly three dozen Vancouver businesses are jumping into the mass transit debate on the side of light rail.

Vancouver Businesses for Smart Transportation, as the group calls itself, has signed up 35 businesses that favor light rail for the planned new bridge over the Columbia River. The group also supports Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard's plan to cover Interstate 5 through downtown.

"It will make us more connected to downtown Portland, and connect Portland with downtown ­Vancouver," said Joanie Sather, a Wallis Engineering employee and the group's president. "But the big thing is not adding more traffic."

The bistate Columbia River Crossing task force is evaluating both light rail and bus rapid transit as a mass transit component for a proposed new bridge. The draft environmental impact statement, to be ready by the end of the year, will look at one route along the east side of Interstate 5 and another along Main Street, both terminating at a park-and-ride lot north of 39th Street.

Light rail remains an expensive and controversial mass transit option. Cost of the bridge project - mass transit included - hasn't been set but could reach $6 billion. Supporters hope the federal government will pay a portion, bridge tolls may be imposed as may some type of local tax, but so far, no clear source of money has been found.

A few employees at Wallis Engineering, 317 Columbia St., started Vancouver Businesses for Smart Transportation last winter. They felt light-rail opponents received more coverage in the media and wanted to demonstrate that light rail had supporters downtown. The group counts among its backers Pollard, who has been vocal in his support for light rail and the advantages of connecting to Portland's existing system.

The campaign for members was a low-tech effort, no Web sites or blogs. They merely signed up members by visiting shops downtown and in Uptown Village. They plan to lobby the Columbia River Crossing task force and the Vancouver City Council.

Members of the organization were also enticed by the offer of a poster. The image, an oil painting of a streetcar, has the company's name followed by "? supports light rail to Vancouver."

No decision has been made on a line or route, but some members hoped to see light- rail trains go north from downtown Vancouver to Uptown Village. Such a line, a member said, would bring new customers.

"I've seen it transform neighborhoods in Portland," said Chris Jochum, owner of Urban Eccentric on Main Street, a vintage clothing store. "Interstate's a good example. That whole neighborhood is alive with people and pedestrians and shops. I don't see any negative to light rail."

Cost has always been a factor among opponents. But Sather, of Wallis Engineering, said members of the organization know the cost will be high.

"It's obvious," she said. "But it's not that costly considering what Portland already put in to it. I own property in downtown Vancouver and I think it would be hugely beneficial. I'd be willing to pay for it."

Members of Vancouver Businesses for Smart Transportation
A Touch of Healing, Alling Henning Associates, Allstate Kim Jiries Agency, Brian H. Wolfe, P.C., Coffee Lounge, Columbia Dance Company, Contessa, Currie & McLain CPAs, D Side Studio, E2 Land Use Services, GE Services Inc., Ice Cream Renaissance, Java House, J.D. Walsh & Associates, Journey to Wellness, Dr. Cynthia Bye, Kramer Gehlen & Associates, Le Bijou Boutique, Logic Product Development, Maria's Vintage, Marketplace Flowers, Mike's Bikes Uptown Cycles, Mint Tea, Mon Ami, One Step Ahead Enterprises, The Resource Company, Salmon Creek Brewery, Tangles, Tommy O's, Tribe 2, LLC, Unraveled Fine Yarns, The Urban Eccentric, Urban Words Group, Video Connections, Wallis Engineering, Wishing Well - Search Within

Royce Pollard makes Tom Potter look like a park bench.

^^^^
:lmao:

Can we trade mayors?

God I wish we could. The last election was a joke. I miss Vera.

I want to see Vera's protege, Sam, in the mayor's office. He's not afraid to think big, and he knows how to get things done at City Hall. Tom's a great guy, he's just not as politically astute, and definitely not visionary.

^Sam's a little fake and has a tendency to really piss the opposition off, no matter what the conflict. He has great ideas but I think Commissioner Charlie Hales is a better fit for Portland...run Charlie...RUN DAMNIT!

I'd vote for Hales.

I voted for Adams and have been moderately dissapointed.

^^^^
Sam is definitely a panderer, no doubt about it. Not his best trait, but he gets things done.

Honestly, if Charlie would run, I'd vote for him over anybody, including Sam. Charlie is truly visionary and also well-respected. I havent seen any indication that he will run though. Hopefully I'm wrong.

I'm not a big Sam Adams fan. His aprehension to weigh in on charter reform really killed it for me. What was he waiting for?

Personally, I would like to see someone emerge who isn't of the current political class...a creative entrepreneur who holds dear the ideals of our city, but isn't afraid to shake things up at City Hall. I'm not sure who this would be...a developer, Tim Boyles, who knows? Portland is becoming a big city, and we need a mayor with vision--not one who spends lots of time and money researching visions--like our current mayor.

Vancouver has chance to speak out on rail
 

Each of the two potential paths would affect a number of neighborhoods

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
ALLAN BRETTMAN The Oregonian Staff

VANCOUVER -- Jack Harroun has watched the unfolding Columbia River Crossing project closer than most.

As co-chairman of the Hough Neighborhood Association, Harroun is especially interested in one aspect of the project that could change forever his neighborhood and several of those nearby.

At this point, Harroun says, "The jury's out."

Project officials are examining two potential paths for a rapid transit line that would cross the Columbia River to downtown Vancouver and either run on the east side of Interstate 5 or follow a route to Main Street and part of Broadway. Both proposed lines would end at or near Kiggins Bowl on Main Street north of 39th Street.

While several aspects have not been decided, project officials made clear to the Vancouver City Council on Monday night that the two routes are key components of current planning.

The Interstate option would travel along McLoughlin Boulevard and would include a park-and-ride lot at Clark College as well as a park-and-ride lot near Kiggins Bowl.

The Main Street line would end at a station between 39th and 40th streets. Plans call for either a 1,500-space surface parking lot on a 10-acre site owned by the Washington Department of Transportation or a 2,500-space parking garage on the site.

Neighborhood associations, as well as residents, will play an important role in refining proposals until December, when a staff recommendation is expected to be made, said Kris Strickler, deputy project director.

The staff recommendation will address details such as what type of bridge should be built, what type of rapid transit should be included, and where the rapid transit route should travel.

A draft environmental impact statement is expected to be prepared by February. Crossing officials hope to have a final decision accepted by eight public agencies by next June.
The proposed transit lines would affect about 10 neighborhood associations, particularly those in the older west side of town.

Harroun said he is concerned how a Main Street rapid transit line through Uptown Village -- the area between McLoughlin and Fourth Plain Boulevard -- would affect businesses.

But Richard Murray, president of the Carter Park Neighborhood Association, said the disruption to businesses would be a worthwhile price to pay for rapid transit near the neighborhood.

"I'm all for it on Main Street," Murray said. "I don't want to see it on the Interstate's east side because I don't want to walk across the interstate to get to light rail."

Harroun and Murray both praised the project's public outreach.

But two other neighborhood associations near the possible transit line gave low marks to the outreach.

Anne McEnerny-Ogle, chairwoman of the Shumway Neighborhood Association, said she recently could not find any business owner near 39th and Main streets aware of a potential Main Street transit line and park-and-ride lot.

The Lincoln Neighborhood Association, meanwhile, sent a letter to several crossing project officials opposing the park-and-ride on the Department of Transportation property.

But if the park-and-ride is at that site, "it must have vehicle access only from Main Street and must dedicate at least one third of the property to a neighborhood park," the letter says.

dup

I agree, it's better for the light rail to stop at Main St and 39 St instead of east side of I-5 (would be stupid pick lol), but oh come on, next June? Take too long...

Here's a link to a Google map I've been piecing together with information gathered from public sources.

http://tinyurl.com/3dhtum

Welcome tefen, and nice work on the map!

:iagree:

We don't need the new columbia crossing, nor does vancouver need light rail.

Something needs to be done about that corridor. In 20 years i5 from lake o to vancouver will be nothing but a parking lot for most of the day

i think, even though i have some sympathy for the argument that portlanders shouldn't pay for vancouverites to have an easy commute to the city, that something needs to be done. in the afternoon, NB I-5 backs up from the interstate bridge all the way past downtown and up to around the terwilliger curves. give it 10 ten years and backups all the way to wilsonville will be common. that kind of nullifies the advantage of a reverse commute for those of us living downtown and working out in the soulless suburbs. inbound 26 gets backed up fairly often as well in the afternoons; i'll bet it's all part of the same mess.

oh of course if there was any political will to build max down barbur or I-5 south, that would be a better choice. why it's given so little emphasis i don't understand.

i was going to post a link on here, but it's already gone... Metro's JPACT (joint policy area (?) committee on transportation) is the one that makes all these strategic decisions. their agendas and minutes are posted here. recently, they had a 50-page compendium of their wishlist of projects (both road and transit) for their 2035 plan. unfortunately, the link now leads to a 404. but if it starts working again, it makes for some interesting reading. for one thing, for the jack bogs of the world, only about the last 5 pages listed transit projects; the rest were for roads. the one road project i'd never heard of before is burial of 224 through milwaukie. i assume that means open cut, but it's only got a one-sentence description. re: transit, they list commuter rail projects to salem by 2014, as well as mcminnville and st helens a few years later. lrt projects include powell to 205, forest grove, barbur, a red line extension from quatama to amberglen, blue line from gresham to mhcc, various ways of extending the green/orange lines south to oregon city, and routes into vantucky. also, some brt lines. hopefully they'll re-post it soon.

oh yeah, tefen, thanks for the map, i was having trouble picturing where all these options are supposed to go. what is the "kellog bowl" anyway? a bowling alley? or an ampitheater?

Kellog bowl? You mean Kiggins Bowl? I believe that could be the football field, quite like a stadium, behind the Discovery Middle School, while the Kiggins Bowl is right behind Discovery Middle School on the map.

I do support light rail on Vancouver because too many people get on the city bus to Portland, while the light rail in Portland are near the Jantzen Beach. I don't know if redevelop the bridge would be necessary, but the light rail is the one we need.