Letter to teh Congresspeeps

I sent this to Sen. Margaret Carter and Rep. Chip Shields. It was easy! Just follow this link to find your congresspeople. It is generally considered a good idea to be respectful even if you are flaming mad.

Greetings _____

Im sure you are already familiar with the Columbia River Crossing. I would like to tell you that I think it is the most wasteful transportation rubbish heap i have ever seen.

Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio, chair of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, was quoted in the newspaper twice this week criticizing the Columbia River Crossing's size and cost.

Steve Duin wrote in the Oregonian about the grossly over-sized design, calls it an "impending disaster." In the article, he cites Congressman DeFazio as saying that the project needs to be scaled back in terms of both design and cost.

The Willamette Week also quoted DeFazio as stating that the project should think smaller, stating that he doesn't know "how that project moves forward and how they will fund it."

This oversized and overpriced project that will drain $4.2 billion from our resources while making a mockery of your reputation for environmental sustainability.

It is an embarrassment that we are still considering paying millions just to "study" this absurd monstrosity.

Lets focus on creating a climate smart alternative that is both fiscally responsible and works towards Oregon climate change goals...

thanks for your time,

YOUR NAME
ADDRESS

Last time I checked our Legislature was trying to decide if it was a good idea to spend 30 million each of the next 2 years to study the current design. That is to say, they wont even be considering any other designs. This whole project is so bassawckward it frequently causes mild hemorrhages in my brain. Ouch.

Maybe there is some good news out there?

Understanding the Complexity

A major source of discord between people debating the Columbia River Crossing issue is that they are frequently both right.

There are a number of issues with the current I-5 bridge crossing that given unlimited resources should be fixed (along with 100s of other projects).

Issues concerning the number of lanes, Hayden Island, S-turning tugboats, air quality, Vancouver sprawl, Light Rail expansion, pedestrian access, and massive salmon mosaics have peppered our local media for a couple years. All these voices may cause many concerned citizens to throw up their hands in frustration. If the "he said/she said" politicking is causing you come consternation fear not, you are not alone!

Similar to trying to please all the people all the time, a "one bridge solution" to all our traffic problems will make those problems worse. Instead lets be smart with our money.

Everyone in the region owes it to themselves to find out as much about the CRC as possible. The size and scope will have numerous effects so you deserve to know what you are paying for.

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