Date:
Friday, October 20, 2006
Contact:
Kris Strickler, Deputy Project Director, 360-816-2201 or 503-256-2726 x2201
Barbara Hart, 360-816-2163 or 503-256-2726 ext. 2163
VANCOUVER – The Columbia River Crossing Task Force will meet next week in Portland to discuss a report from the freight working group, traffic projections for non-highway bridge options, and partial results from evaluations of the current set of preliminary alternatives.
The set of 12 preliminary alternative packages are being tested to determine how elements perform in combination. Each alternative features improvement options for the I-5 bridge, public transportation, and the highway between Vancouver and Portland. The strongest elements will be recombined to form 2-4 alternatives that will be studied in-depth during 2007.
The Wednesday, Oct. 25, meeting will be held 4 –6:30 p.m. at the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, 4134 N. Vancouver Avenue in Portland. The public is welcome to attend and will have an opportunity to provide comment at 4:20 p.m.
The Columbia River Crossing project area includes a five-mile stretch of I-5 from State Route 500 in Vancouver to Columbia Boulevard in Portland and includes the Interstate Bridge. Without action, congestion in this area of I-5 is expected to grow to 13 hours per day by 2020 from the current 4-6 hours per day.
The 39-member Columbia River Crossing Task Force includes leaders from Oregon and Washington’s community, business, civic, neighborhood, freight, commuter and environmental agencies and groups. The Washington and Oregon departments of transportation (WSDOT and ODOT) formed the Task Force in 2005 and charged the members with considering and providing input on a variety of issues including congestion, freight movement, high capacity transit, environmental protection, and funding in the project area.
Task Force meeting locations are accessible to people with disabilities. Accommodations for people with disabilities can be arranged with advance notice by calling the project office at 360-737-2726 or 503-256-2726.
For more information, please visit the project Web site: www.ColumbiaRiverCrossing.org/
####
< Back to News Home