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Transit routes studied
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
By JEFFREY MIZE Columbian staff writer
Transportation officials are honing two options for routing high-capacity transit through Vancouver as part of the Columbia River Crossing project.
Both assume that either light rail or bus rapid transit would cross the Columbia River and head north on Washington Street through downtown to Mill Plain Boulevard. The options will be studied as part of a formal environmental impact statement.
One option calls for the transit line to veer east, under Interstate 5 on McLoughlin Boulevard or 16th Street, to serve Clark College before heading north along the east side of the freeway. From there, what is being called the I-5 alignment would cross over state Highway 500 and I-5 before ending at a planned Park & Ride lot just north of Kiggins Bowl.
Instead of veering east, the second option would continue north on Main Street or Broadway until the two streets merge just north of Fourth Plain Boulevard. The transit line would continue north on Main Street to the proposed Park & Ride lot near Kiggins Bowl.
Each alignment has advantages. Preliminary analysis indicates the Main Street/Broadway option would be cheaper to build and operate, with construction costs 15 percent lower and operating costs 7 percent lower than the other alignment.
The difference is primarily because the Main/Broadway line doesn't head east to Clark College and therefore covers a shorter distance. Bridges spanning state Highway 500 and I-5 also would not be necessary, thereby reducing construction costs.
The Main/Broadway option would provide direct service to more residents who live within a half-mile of transit stations. The option also has the potential to spur urban redevelopment, such as what north Portland is experiencing along the Interstate Avenue light-rail line.
Advantages to the I-5 alignment include direct service to Clark College, with a Park & Ride lot planned near the college, and to the Vancouver Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Because a large stretch of the route would be confined to the existing I-5 corridor, trains or buses could move passengers faster, possibly at 55 mph, than the other option and slightly improve commuting times for workers heading into Portland.
The I-5 alignment also has less potential to affect properties along the route. Officials believe they could squeeze a transit corridor between I-5 and K Street, which lines the east side of the freeway north of Fourth Plain Boulevard.
Jay Lyman, consultant team project manager for Columbia River Crossing, said officials do not believe either alignment would requiring taking large pieces of private property.
Officials say ridership potential along the two routes is comparable, less than a 3 percent difference. The potential for future expansion of a light-rail system to head east and then south across the Interstate 205 Bridge, creating a transit loop in Vancouver, is not considered a significant factor in evaluating the two transit alignments.
Officials intend to work closely with city government and residents on transit routes.
"We want to start a discussion with the city and particularly with the neighborhoods about how best to serve this part of Vancouver with high-capacity transit," Lyman said following a city council meeting Monday evening. "At the heart of the issue is what the city and neighborhoods want to do."
So far, almost all of the buzz surrounding the multibillion-dollar Columbia River Crossing project has been focused on which bridge options should be studied in a draft environmental impact statement.
Three options definitely will be part of the study: a no-build alternative, a replacement bridge with light rail and a replacement bridge with bus rapid transit, a system of frequent buses with limited stops and dedicated lanes. A fourth option also is being prepared that could include retaining the existing I-5 Bridge or adding a third bridge.
Officials wanted to present the two transit alignments to the city council Monday, but council members were focused on other issues related to the Columbia River Crossing. The council will resume its review of the project, including transit alignments, at a March 26 meeting.
Gregg Snyder, consultant team transit manager, said crossing officials have looked at a variety of transit alignments and zeroed in on the two best options, which means it's unlikely additional transit alignments will be evaluated in the draft environmental impact statement.
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I agree. I wouldn't drive now if there's a "loot rail". I definitely support the "loot rail" cuz it can reduce the pollution and traffic. 
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