From the Columbia River Crossing (CRC)

Community invited to learn more about the Final Environmental Impact Statement
October 12 and 13 

The community is invited to attend information sessions on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13 to learn more about the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The CRC Final EIS contains analyses of environmental and community effects and describes how a replacement bridge, light rail and other project elements will improve safety and relieve congestion.

The project is hosting four drop-in information sessions. At each session, full copies of the document will be available for review or purchase. The executive summary and DVD of the entire document will also be available at no charge. Technical experts will be in attendance to answer questions.

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011 | 2 – 4 p.m. or 6 – 8 p.m.
Vancouver Community Library
901 C St., Vancouver, WA 98660
For transit directions visit www.c-tran.com

Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 | 2 – 4 p.m. or 6 – 8 p.m.
Jantzen Beach SuperCenter Community Room
1405 Jantzen Center Dr., Portland, OR 97217
For transit directions visit www.trimet.org

Additional information about the event is available online.

It's March! It's Time for a Meeting!

Date: March 14th at 7PM
Location: The Columbia School [intersection of Bridgeton and Marine Drive]

AGENDA

Neighborhood Clean up and Yard Sale

Who can help work the different stations?

CRC—Update

Environmental Evaluation of the Sloughs/West Hayden Island

Bridgeton Neighborhood Updates

Neighborhood Night out plans

Form a committee to work on a neighborhood disaster response plan


Come on out - get involved in YOUR neighborhood

Follow up to neighborhood meeting

Here are the internet links for issues discussed at BNA meeting on February 14th

The panel report for the CRC

http://www.columbiarivercrossing.com/FileLibrary/GeneralProjectDocs/BRP_Report.pdf

Leslie will be sending out a proposed letter to the governors later this week.

The sites for information on the Flood Zone issues.

FEMA NFIP, CFR 44, Chapter 1, Parts 59-77

www.fema.cov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2206

City of Portland - Flood Ordinance, Title 24.50.040

www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c+53483

Dave Hendricks is the Deputy Director at MCDD and can be reached at 503-281-5675. His email address is dhendricks@mcdd.org.

Columbia River Crossing Updates

Portland Working Group recommends elevated Hayden Island light rail station

The Portland Working Group (PWG) has recommended an elevated station for the new light rail stop on Hayden Island.

PWG members and CRC staff discussed both elevated and street level options late last year at an open house with 85 attendees. An online survey was also used to gather input on the design of the Hayden Island station.

The PWG and project staff are now moving forward with discussion and design detail of the elevated station, connections to local businesses and the local street network. Check the CRC website for future meeting materials and agendas. PWG next meets Jan. 12 at the Jantzen Beach SuperCenter from 4 to 6 p.m..

Project Sponsors Council receives update on Bridge Expert Review Panel work

CRC Bridge Expert Review Panel chair, Tom Warne provided an overview of the panel’s work at the Dec. 10 meeting of the Project Sponsors Council. The panel was convened by the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation to re-evaluate river bridge types and configurations for the CRC in response to a recommendation made by the CRC Independent Review Panel.

The panel will analyze all applicable river crossing options, including those that may have been dropped from consideration in the past and re-evaluate project constraints. The panel is expected to have a final report in January 2011. Additional information on the bridge panel is available online.

In-water soil study concludes in North Portland Harbor and Columbia River

The Columbia River Crossing project recently finished drilling work in North Portland Harbor and the Columbia River to gather additional information on soil type and stability to help advance bridge foundation designs.

Since beginning in November, drilling work was conducted at about 20 sites. The CRC project includes a replacement crossing for the Interstate Bridge over the Columbia River and new bridge structures between Hayden Island and Marine Drive. Supports for the structures are being designed to extend through the sandy river bed to solid ground or rock.

Additional information is available online.

Columbia River Crossing contact information

Email: feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org

Mail: 700 Washington St., Suite 300

Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone: 360-737-2726 or 503-256-2726

Fax: 360-737-0294

www.ColumbiaRiverCrossing.org

"THE" Bridge

If you live in the area, you got the notice of this meeting in the mail but here it is again - just in case

From the CRC

- Public invited to provide input Aug. 5 on set of draft recommendations for Columbia

River Crossing project

- Metro finds CRC toll bridge with light rail would have negligible impact on growth

- Join us at a fair or festival this summer

Public invited to provide input Aug. 5 on set of draft recommendations for Columbia River Crossing project

The Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council encourages testimony Thursday, Aug. 5, at a public meeting on draft recommendations related to several project elements, including the Hayden Island interchange and I-5 bridge.

Residents, businesses and interested community members are invited to attend the meeting to learn about the draft recommendations and provide input directly to PSC co-chair Steve Horenstein. The recommendations are the result of assignments from the PSC to the Integrated Project Sponsors Council Staff (IPS) group to collaboratively address several questions. Meeting topics include project performance measures, techniques to manage traffic after construction, transportation and land-use modeling, the number of I-5 bridge lanes, and the latest design concept for the Hayden Island interchange.

Earlier Hayden Island interchange concepts were presented to island residents and stakeholders at two public meetings in June. The concepts have continued to evolve as a result of stakeholder input and the latest concept (“Concept D”) will be discussed Aug. 5. This week Hayden Island stakeholders and staff from the City of Portland and Metro reached consensus on this newest concept.

After a brief presentation, attendees can share their opinions about the draft recommendations. Comments can be given verbally, in writing or online.

The meeting is scheduled for:

Thursday, August 5, 2010 | 5 – 8 p.m.

(Presentation at 6 p.m.; public testimony to follow)

Jantzen Beach SuperCenter, Community Room (Across from the food court)

1405 Jantzen Beach Center , Portland , OR

More information is available online. The public also can submit comments and questions specifically to the PSC through an online comment form.

The meeting site is accessible to persons with disabilities. Accommodations for people with disabilities or people needing language interpretation can be arranged with advance notice by calling the Columbia River Crossing project at 866-396-2726. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact CRC through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 7-1-1.

Metro finds CRC toll bridge with light rail would have negligible impact on growth

The Metro regional government released the findings of its forecast of the population and employment growth that would result from building the Columbia River Crossing project. The forecast was completed as part of the collaborative process to resolve outstanding issues that began in April 2010.

The agency finds that the project would have negligible impact on population and employment growth in Clark County , when comparing the projected growth that would occur with the project compared to no change to the existing bridge and highway. The project’s most significant land use effect would be to boost North Portland employment by about 1.5 percent. Findings were based on Metroscope, a nationally acclaimed growth modeling technology that projects population and employment changes in a seven-county area.

These findings confirm analysis completed by the CRC project in 2008 for the Draft EIS concerning the potential for the project to induce land use growth and travel demand. CRC found that the project would not cause significant land use changes in the region’s urban periphery (“sprawl”). CRC reviewed national case studies, reviewed land use policies in both Oregon and Washington , used travel demand models that had been reviewed and approved by a group of national experts, and relied on results from an earlier analysis using the Metroscope model to draw these conclusions. A summary of those results are presented in a 2009 memo.

Additional information on the most recent Metro findings can be found on their website.

Join us at a fair or festival this summer

CRC has had informational booths at various fairs and festivals throughout the summer. Staff is on hand to answer questions about the project and hand out informational materials. In the coming weeks, project staff will be attending the following events:

· Ho'ike & Hawaiian Festival – July 31, Vancouver , WA

· St. Johns Farmers Market – Aug. 21, Portland , OR

A complete listing of summer events where CRC will be present can be viewed in thecalendar on the project website.

Columbia River Crossing contact information

Email: feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org

Mail: 700 Washington St., Suite 300

Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone: 360-737-2726 or 503-256-2726

Fax: 360-737-0294

www.ColumbiaRiverCrossing.org

Columbia River Crossing: Public Comment

CRC says they want to hear from us this coming Monday June 14th at an open house and public comment session.

Jantzen Beach Super Center Community room 5:30 to 8 PM

[across from the food court]

Have they ever really listened to anyone? They say the public can comment starting at 6:15 PM

Watch this before going and ask pertinent questions such as those raised in this video.

Columbia Crossing: What Does It Mean? from PDXplore on Vimeo.

Board Meeting and CRC Proposals

From the BNA

The BNA board meeting will be on Monday the 24th at 7 at the Columbia School

The Board meeting venue has changed and become a general meeting for the entire neighborhood as we need to look at and express our opinions on the possible changes to the CRC proposals.

There are new exciting possibilities for the interchanges on Hayden Island and Marine Drive. Copies of some of the ideas are at Channel's Edge on the board.

Since all of our meetings are open and the CRC issues have an impact on everyone, I hope everyone will come to express their opinions.

Leslie Sawyer, Chair, BNA

Independent Review Panel for the I-5 Bridge

Got an opinion?

The Governors of Oregon and Washington have convened an Independent Review Panel(IRP) for the Columbia River Crossing Project.

The Governors have directed this work to ensure that key project study assumptions and methods are reasonable. The panel has been asked to:

• Assess the implementation plan for the CRC project
• Review the financial plan for the project
• Review and evaluate post-construction performance measures

The panel will work independently of the project and the work efforts being conducted under the guidance of the CRC Project Sponsors Council. Panelists include national experts with experience in design, cost estimation, mitigation planning, and management of large urban transportation projects.

The IRP meetings will be open to the public.

The first meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m., Wednesday, May 19, in Hall D of the Expo Center in north Portland.

The panel will host a public meeting to hear directly from members of the community starting at 7 p.m. on May 19 at the Expo Center.

On Thursday, May 20, the panel will meet 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Vancouver Hilton.

Additional meetings are scheduled for:

• June 1 and 2, 2010
• June 17 and 18, 2010
• July 7 and 8, 2010 (if needed)

More information on the IRP and each of the panelists is available on the panel’s website:http://crcreview.org

The panel’s final report will be provided to the Governors of Oregon and Washington this summer.

Bridgeton Meeting

March Meeting

Monday, March 8, 2010

7 PM @ Columbia Pioneer School

716 N. Marine Dr., Portland, OR

AGENDA:

What will happen to the Marine Drive interchanges and access to Hayden Island?

CRC Representatives will present the most current plans for our access to/from MLK, Marine Drive West, I-5, Hayden Island, and Delta Park if the bridge is built. Right now those things do not look favorable for our ability to go anywhere as easily as we do now. This may be the time to start communicating our dissatisfaction with the CRC plans to City Council, Metro, PBOT, ODOT and all other members of the Project Sponsors Council.

For your information

Spring Clean Up is scheduled for April 10^th from 8 am until Noon.

The Bureau for Planning and Sustainability wants our thoughts on plans for West HaydenIsland.

A group is planning to have a program called Fuel Pdx on Fire in September at PIR.

Pen2 wants the neighborhood to tell them what we think of their plans to cut down the large Magnolia at the school and to use our mitigation funds to extend the berm at the school into the parking lot.

Bridge Info

Re the Columbia Crossing Project - and yes this project impacts us a lot!!

I pulled this paragraph from the minutes [below] as it is upcoming:

A meeting for Marine Drive stakeholders will be held on January 28 at the Kenton firehouse from 9-11 AM. Your concerns and opinions about the impacts to Marine Drive can be expressed at this meeting.

Columbia River Crossing Project Update

CRC hosts open houses to receive input, answer questions

 

The Columbia River Crossing project invites you to attend an open house in December to learn about plans for light rail on Hayden Island and in Vancouver , a replacement bridge, and fixing seven highway interchanges between SR 500 and Columbia Boulevard .  

 

Public comments will help the project make decisions on key issues including the number of lanes on a new I-5 bridge and design of the bridge, light rail and highway improvements.

 

Two open houses will be held:

 

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Open house: 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Hilton Vancouver Washington

301 W. 6th Street

Vancouver, WA 98660

 

Public transit: C-TRAN #4

More info: www.c-tran.com or 360-695-0123

 

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Open house: 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center

2060 North Marine Drive, Hall D

Portland, OR 97217

 

Public transit: TriMet MAX Yellow Line

More info: www.trimet.org or 503-238-RIDE

  

CRC Project Sponsors Council to hold first meeting

A 10-member governor-appointed panel will meet for the first time Tuesday, Nov. 4, to begin advising the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation on project development for the Columbia River Crossing project. 

 

The Project Sponsors Council will advise the project on completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement, project design, project timeline, sustainable construction methods, consistency with greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and the financial plan.

 

The meeting will be held 1 – 3 p.m. at the Southwest Region office of the Washington State Department of Transportation, 11018 NE 51st Circle , Vancouver , WA . It is open to the public.

 

CRC appoints Marine Drive Stakeholder Group

In September, CRC appointed a Marine Drive Stakeholder Group to advise the project on reconstruction alternatives for the Marine Drive interchange.

 

This group represents a wide variety of interests potentially affected by redesign of the Marine Drive Interchange, including the Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Portland , Port of Portland , trucking and distributions companies and property owners.  

 

Visit the Marine Drive Stakeholder Group page for more information about the group.

 

CRC project concludes fairs and festivals season

 

At the completion of its 2008 fairs and festivals season, CRC project staff had spoken with more than 2,000 community members. Throughout the spring and summer project staff hosted booths at 20 events in Oregon and Washington including Juneteenth Celebration, Ho'ike Hawaiian Festival and Seaport Celebration. Staff answered questions about the project and provided informational materials.

 

CRC wants to talk to your group

Project staff regularly attends community group meetings to give brief presentations and answer questions about the project. If you would like to schedule a presentation for your next meeting, please click here.

 

 

 

Columbia River Crossing contact information

 

Email: feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org

Mail: 700 Washington St, Suite 300

Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone: 360-737-2726 or 503-256-2726

Fax: 360-737-0294

www.ColumbiaRiverCrossing.org

 

 

The Bridge is Coming! Pollution is Coming!

On Monday, the Oregonian had an article about the possible pollution runoff into the Columbia from the construction and ultimate urban sprawl that a new bridge could bring to the region.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1218947109273750.xml&coll=7

I had always wondered why the task force, from what I understood, worked on the assumptions that driving habits would remain the same, as would gas prices and there would be no new businesses or housing added in the area.

In any place I have ever lived, new or wider roads or bigger bridges always resulted in more traffic, more businesses and more housing...So why did this task force assume Portland would be different than other cities? Beats me!

And of late, one need not even contemplate the reality of what a new bridge might bring - that reality is here already. Every buildable spot in the Bridgeton area is for sale! Many of those sale signs have gone up in the last few weeks...

So even if the new bridge is never built - the focus on this area and a possible bridge, has already resulted in the planing for more apartments, more disappearing green, more disappearing bird nesting areas along the slough, and ultimately more cement, more roofs and more dirty rain running off into the Columbia... some because there will be no "land" left to absorb the rain.

Build it and they will use it to sell it and move it to the area! © That's my new slogan for Bridgeton!