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Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
Not Too Late for Better I-5 Crossing
At the Aug. 26th Bi-state Tolling Subcommittee meeting, an Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR) consultant said that approximately 45,000 vehicles (36%) enter and exit within the five-mile project area. These short trips should not use the freeway because frequent merging and exiting contribute to congestion and crashes.
Preserving the current bridges for non-tolled local traffic and building an immersed tunnel solves several problems with the IBR’s tolled bridge design.
- Provide toll-free access to people who live and work on Hayden Island.
- Reduce Interstate traffic and congestion by reducing 45,000 daily vehicles, 36%.
- Reduce congestion and crashes due to less merging and existing.
- Eliminate long, massive bridge approaches that are a visual blight and will rain down noise and pollution.
- Eliminate elevated bridge approaches that are more prone to black ice and have a -3% grade with a sharp S-curve.
- Eliminate a dozen 50-foot-wide bridge piers that will harbor salmon predators.
- An immersed tunnel is more earthquake-resilient, and preserving current bridges adds redundancy.
- Save $141 million in impact payments to upstream businesses.
- Save $390 million by not demolishing the current bridges.
- Avoid the high risk and cost ($250-$500 million) of 96 drilled shafts and 1,775 temporary piles.
- Reduce construction time and cost because tunnel segments can be fabricated in local shipyards and are not as restricted by in-water work windows.
- Protect both Fort Vancouver and the Vancouver Waterfront Public Market from the impact of bridge approaches.
- Provide a better bike and walking path on modified current bridges.
The IBR has fraudulently disqualified a safer immersed tunnel alternative. It is not too late to reject IBR’s bridge and build an immersed tunnel. Citizens of Baltimore, Maryland rejected a freeway bridge design to protect historic Fort McHenry. Citizens of Vancouver, Canada rejected a bridge design to protect the Fraser River’s environment. Citizens of Antwerp, Belgium decisively rejected a massive bridge design via the first public referendum in the entire history of the city of Antwerp.
Bob Ortblad MSCE, MBA
Seattle
