Third Bridge Now Proposal An I-305 Freeway Corridor
As proposed by the Economic Transportation Alliance, a new freeway will carry twice what the current I-5 and I-205 bridges carry and be similar in size to the I-405 Fremont Bridge and corridor in Portland.
Highway
A new I-305 freeway corridor connecting ports and industrial areas together in both states, directly to I-5 freeway. Into the ports and out of the neighborhoods, fully multi-modal, using mostly vacant land.
Transit
Buses that come from neighborhood park and rides (ex. Churches) into specific employment centers creating a one-hop one-stop bus ride.
Funding
- Local Funding split at the state line.
- Bonds, Lottery, and a Limited Time Fuel Tax.
- A fuel tax of 10 cents a gallon for 10 years total sunset.
- Bonds repaid by an infrastructure tax of Rivergate and Swan Island Industrial Areas.
- Project specific lottery and scratch-off tickets.
- NO TOLLS NEEDED
Economic Transportation Alliance
The Economic Transportation Alliance / Third Bridge Now is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2011, founded by Sharon Nasset, who has worked on transportation issues in Oregon and SW Washington since 2000.
History
In 2000 I received a yellow card in the mail stating that the I-5 Portland / Vancouver Transportation and Trade Partnership was asking citizens to bring in their ideas to relieve congestion and add capacity between Portland and Vancouver.
The I-5 Trade Corridor boundary from I-5 and I-205 freeways in Vancouver, Washington in the north and I-5 and I-84 freeways in Portland, Oregon in the south. The west boundary is the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers and extends 1-mile east of the I-205 Glen Jackson Bridge.
I then took pictures, made maps, and a booklet calling the project the NW Passage. The name, NW Passage, dealt with trade and transportation, the NW part of Portland, and 2005 was the 100th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Exposition. The NW Passage provided adding capacity between Oregon and Washington, fine tuning of the I-5 freeway through North Portland inside the Right Of Way (ROW), and was accepted into the National Environmental Impact Act (NEPA).
2000 – 2002
Portland / Vancouver I-5 Transportation and Trade Partnership study 2000-2001 and Bridge Influence Area 2001-2002
The NW Passage, a transportation alignment project to connect the Port of Vancouver, the Port of Portland, and HWY-30 together with an express freeway. This alignment was included as West Arterial Option #8 and recommended for further study.
Accepted in NEPA Scoping
- NW Passage Expressway Freeway a 4-6 lane with bike and pedestrian *
- Heavy Rail *
- Heavy Commuter Rail*
- Full interchange upgrade to Columbia Blvd Corridor*
- Full interchange upgrade to Lombard St HWY-30 Bi-pass
- Acceleration and Deceleration lanes
- Realignment of I-84 and I-5 freeways with additional exits.
*Recommended for further study.
West Arterial
The alignments starting at Mill Plain and adjacent to the BNSF rail line and ending at HWY-30 or a shorter alignment ending at Marine Dr. corridor were recommended for further study because of significant merits.
Minor Arterial, Infrastructure Definition Studied
Modeled as a minor 4-lanes arterial, 30-40 mph, 2-lifts, and 6-stop light intersections parkway, from Mill Plain to Marine Dr., carried 48,000 vehicles and was full upon opening. It removed vehicles off of I-5, I-205, I-84 freeways, east/west north/south arterials, and neighborhood streets in Washington and Oregon.
Protocol Not Followed by Elected Officials
Although brought in during NEPA Scoping Process, the Mayor of Portland Vera Katz did not follow the rules, the exact reason why we have a process…. “she” wanted to cover the I-5 freeway and demanded that nothing below Marine Dr. be studied and renamed the location Bridge Influence Area. Throwing out the alternatives that had met the NEPA Scoping Process requirements to be fully studied.
The I-84 and I-5 freeway area is one of the top accidents and congested areas of the system. The realignment of I-84 freeway inside of ROW brought in during Scoping in 2000 was mapped before the “Mayor” removed it from the scientific process. There is an alternative to the I-84 freeway interchange being recommended in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) that will not relieve congestion and is hated by the community. Check out our alternative realignment of I-84 and I-5 freeways that is well loved by the community. Please put it in the public view and let the citizens chose which alternative they want for the realignment. We live here!
2003
After the I-5 Partnership Study we refined the NW Passage alignment to HWY-30, Swan Island, and added the southern connection to I-5 freeway in Portland creating an I-305 By-Pass. Because a small facility was full upon opening we renamed the project to The Bi-State Industrial Corridor freeway an 8-lane freeway. The BI-State Industrial Corridor (BIC) is commonly known as Third Bridge Now.
Bi-State Industrial Corridor, Industrial Definition
Modeling of a freeway 8-lanes, 50-60mph, high spanned non-lift, high capacity interchanges northern end starting at I-5 freeway and Mill Plain, Port of Vancouver, Hayden Island, Marine Dr. corridor, Columbia Blvd. corridor, Swan Island, I-405, I-5 freeway south, Rivergate, and HWY-30. Connecting to I-5 freeway in Washington and to the I-5 freeway in Oregon at the southern end, constructing an I-305 by-pass of the I-5 freeway and bridges. The by-pass connects our ports and industrial lands on the west of the I-5 Trade Corridor on one continuous industrial sized freeway corridor approximately one-mile from the I-5 freeway.
- Highway Type Hourly Lane Capacity
- Freeway 2,000 – 2,220
- Principal Arterial 900 – 1,200
- Minor Arterial 700 – 1,000
- Major Collector 600 – 800
- Minor Collector 450 – 650
- Local 300 – 500
- Adopted from FHWA Guidelines
- Level Of Service (LOS)
2005
The Interstate Bridges Electrical Upgrade Project and Inspection
The number one strategic goal for Washington and Oregon Departments of Transportation is to preserve and maintain valuable transportation infrastructure. The I-5 Bridges are very important infrastructure. The I-5 Bridges are structurally sufficient, meet all requirements have over 60 years of life left. They have been well maintained with upgraded electrical, weights, axles, decking, and a paint job. Almost 40 million dollars has been spent for those repairs, with the appraisal value of the bridges being between $500,000,000 million and one billion dollars. (1,000,000,000) .
“The Interstate Bridges continue to be a vital link between Portland and Vancouver and complement any long-range plans to manage and improve transportation in the I-5 Corridor between the two states.”
The outcome of the I-5 Partnership was to construct a Supplemental Bridge or a Replacement Bridge. The recommendations were made before the full inspection of the I-5 bridges, which was excellent.
2006 — Accepted Into the CRC Scoping Process
Columbia River Crossing Environmental Impact Statement begun (CRC EIS)
The BI-State Industrial Corridor by name was brought in during CRC NEPA Scoping Process as River Crossing RC-14. As a port to port freeway Bi-pass the alignment is in the center of the project area. The two maps used by CRC staff were taken from our web sites without our permission, and did not give acknowledgement to Ehlmann Development for the watercolor painted map. The map used was a traffic flow map and not our main map. The second map of ours that we paid for was also used without our permission.
The CRC Sponsor Council was started in 2005 and was disbanded in 2006 with the project continuing directed by staff. The CRC Sponsor Council was disband after continually arguing with staff. Staff was not providing accurate data, was directing and not following. Clark County Commissioners Betty Sue Morris and Steve Stuart will verify the blowing up of the Sponsors Council. This meant no Sponsor Agency oversight committee or legislative committees until the end of 2008.
The CRC process was to spend $50-million in a 3 year EIS. The CRC process spent over $220-million.
2008 — CRC Staff Removed Alternative Projects
Staff Recommendation became the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).
2008 SW WA Regional Transportation Council Visioning Corridor Study
The Bi-State Industrial Corridor was studied as a Minor Arterial version four-lanes arterial, 30-40 mph, 2-lifts, and 6-stop light, a transportation alignment project to connect the Port of Vancouver, Hayden Island, the Port of Portland and HWY-30. The arterial carried 48,000 vehicles and was full upon opening. This was modeled as arterial not a freeway and no connections to the I-5 freeway. The Bi-State Industrial Corridor was recommended for further study. The I-5 Partnership study, the Bridge Influence Area, and SW Washington RTC Visioning Corridor studies verify the same information on similar alignment and sized structures. All three of the alternatives were at capacity upon opening and were recommended for further study for merit. The previous studies of a minor 4-lane arterial are at capacity 48,000. Professional maps and summarized data come from the three previous studies. No professional maps were developed and no summary provide for RC-14.
2010 — CRC Review Panel Found Problems with Process
CRC Independent Review Panel found enormous problems with process, infrastructure inadequacy, poor light rail assumptions, and laughed at the tolling concept. The report cost over 1-million dollars and is in paper and video form.
2011
Oregon Legislator attaches a Budget Note to ODOT Budge to force oversight and to look at alternatives to the LPA.
2012 — Third Bridge Now Proposal Was Removed Without Study is Proven
Washington and Oregon Legislators set up an oversight committee asked about alternatives. Thousands and thousands of Oregonians and Washingtonians stopped “the Staff Recommendation.” Letters from a Sponsor Agency and Sponsor Council member Boards stating that the CRC RC-14 “third bridge” was not studied. SW Washington Regional Transportation Council Sponsor Council Agency Clark County Board of Commissioners.
Smarter Bridge Tour
Elected Officials Speaking Against the CRC as Proposed
CRC made one map of the Bi-State Industrial Corridor
Third Bridge Now Needs List
A new freeway will carry twice what the current I-5 bridges carry and would be similar in size to the I-405 Fremont Bridge in Portland.
We are seeking funding to invest in the following:
- Traffic Modeling to provide the information that we need to show how much congestion relief would be provide from the new I-305 Corridor. Using the current regional information an analysis of the amount of traffic diverted to the new corridor can be calculated in a few hours.
- A Professional map that is accurate developed needs to be provided to the citizens who worked so hard in each of the transportation processes.
- Professional maps and data equal to a replacement bridge so citizen can choose a Locally Preferred Alternative.
History of the Third Bridge Now Effort
- Read the Statement of Purpose for the Economic Transportation Alliance, 1-page PDF.
- Read Sharon’s 2-page bio and description of activities , a 2-page PDF, on behalf of the ETA.
- See the Economic Transportation Alliance and Third Bridge Now charter, a 1-page PDF.
- Read the By-Laws of the Economic Transportation Alliance, a 7-page PDF.