The Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation focused on the Columbia River Crossing at the year’s final meeting Thursday morning.
Project director Richard Brandman outlined the major milestones achieved during the summer when the Project Sponsors Council, a review board representing state and local governments on both sides of the river, unanimously agreed on several design elements.
The proposed elements include a 10-lane bridge design (three through lanes and two auxiliary lanes in each direction) with wider shoulders, improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities and light-rail tracks.
The Project Sponsors Council’s recommendations followed those issued in July from an independent review panel appointed by Governors Gregoire and Kulongoski. The members of the review panel unanimously supported moving the project forward, according to Brandman.
The review panel’s 30 recommendations fall into six categories dealing with the phasing of the project’s construction, improving public involvement, achieving resolution on the interchange design at Marine Drive and Hayden Island, review of the current bridge type, creating a long-term project management structure, and updates to the cost estimate of the project.
Brandman addressed a study, commissioned by Plaid Pantries, Inc. CEO Chris Girard and written by Joe Cortright from Impresa Consulting, that took issue with several aspects of the Columbia River Crossing project proposal, including travel forecasting models, cost estimates and financing plans. Brandman noted that project staff used Metro’s travel forecast models—“We have confidence in the forecasts”—and that the Plaid Pantry study included costs that are not related to the project itself. Brandman said that the CRC project staff will issue a rebuttal to the Plaid Pantries study and submit it to the Oregon Legislature after it convenes in January.
In addition to the Columbia River Crossing project, Metro legislative affairs director Randy Tucker and policy advisor Andy Cotugno outlined a proposed state and federal legislative agenda for 2011, which JPACT is scheduled to consider and vote on at its next meeting on Thursday, Jan. 13.