Cover Story On Feb. 11, Gov. John Kitzhaber strode into a legislative hearing and made his strongest pitch yet for the massive highway project called the Columbia River Crossing.   More

News The Oregon House voted Monday to pony up $450 million in bonds for a bill to help fund the Columbia River Crossing. The Senate is expect to vote on the bill next week. So as the $3.4 billion mega-project hurtles towards receiving the green light, what is the final product going to look like? We’re not totally sure. As BikePortand pointed out in a blog post this morning, visual renderings ...   More

News UPDATE 2:20 pm: While Southwest Washington Republicans lobby against the Columbia River Crossing, Democrats unveiled a new $9.8 billion transportation bill unveiled today that contains $450 million for the CRC, The Columbian reports.The package includes a 10 cent gas tax increase, a new annual car tab fee based on 0.7 percent of a vehicle's value, and more than $3 billion in new bonds to raise the ...   More

News UPDATE: Gov. Inslee's office confirmed at 1 pm that Peterson will be the next WSDOT secretary.“We need an innovative approach to fixing a transportation network that is outdated and hampering our economic growth,” Inslee says in a statement. “Lynn has the experience, creativity and leadership skills to help Washington build a transportation system for the 21st century. And we’ll do that in ...   More

News The open rebellion against the Columbia River Crossing project in Washington continues.Even as Oregon legislators have put $450 million for the project on the fast track, Washington Senate Transportation Committee Co-Chair Sen. Curtis King (R-Yakima), is calling for a major overhaul of the $3.5 billion project—including chucking light rail.In a Jan. 31 letter to Gov. Jay Inslee obtained by WW, King, ...   More

News Vancouver light rail foes haven’t given up the fight to compel the city’s government from spending any resources on extending Portland’s MAX line to Vancouver’s downtown.Seventy five plaintiffs filed suit against Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey on Monday, challenging a state law that required Kimsey to invalidate duplicate signatures.“Six hundred and eight Vancouver voters who are qualified, ...   More

News Lawmakers are prepare for today's 3 pm public hearing on the proposed $3.5 billion Columbia River Crossing project, which is expected to last until 9 pm as partisans on both sides make their cases.Meanwhile, here's a reminder that not every bill carries the same heft.Three lawmakers, Rep. Bill Kennemer (R-Oregon City); Sens. Chuck Thomsen (R-Hood River) and Alan Olsen (R-Sandy), have proposed House ...   More

News Not to be outdone by Clackamas County commissioners, Clark County leaders put forward their own nearly identical anti-Columbia River Crossing resolution today.Sponsored by newly-elected Commissioner David Madore—who made his opposition to the $3.5 billion highway, Interstate 5 bridge and light rail project nearly his sole campaign issue—it's set for a vote on Tuesday.The resolution has likely got ...   More

News The Columbia River Crossing bridge will be 116 feet high. And despite signs that may not be OK with local Coast Guard officials, the White House may be ready to overrule them.The embattled project submitted a bridge permit, at the urging of federal authorities, to the Coast Guard—which is tasked with making sure bridges won’t impede river traffic—for its approval on Jan. 30. The $3.5 billion ...   More