Columbia River Crossing planners are edging closer to deciding the future of the I-5 bridge and the potential for high-capacity transit in Vancouver.
Through analysis of the five project alternatives, staff recently concluded that a replacement bridge with light rail would be the best performer with the best value. The project could cost more than $4 billion.
In creating a preferred alternative, the CRC Task Force now must take the information and recommend replacing the bridge or building a supplemental one, whether to use bus rapid transit or light rail as a mode of high-capacity transit and whether to align high-capacity transit through downtown Vancouver or along I-5.
The task force also has the option to recommend that no action be taken.
Project staff found that a replacement bridge outperformed a supplemental bridge on congestion relief, traffic capacity, safety design features, seismic vulnerability, impacts on Hayden Island, accommodating future development and river navigation.
On the other hand, a supplemental bridge would have less impact on historic resources and is about 10 percent to 15 percent cheaper to construct, depending on which mode of high-capacity transit is used.
Light rail also outperformed bus rapid transit by providing quicker and more direct access to key markets and more reliability, which would help attract more investment around transit stations and as many as 40 percent more riders.
The flip side? Light rail costs 20 percent to 30 percent more to build.
A draft environmental impact statement and draft locally preferred alternative are scheduled to be issued in February for public comment. The project findings, stakeholder input and public comment will be considered by the task force in March to recommend a draft locally preferred alternative.
After the task force makes a recommendation and the public has had an opportunity to comment on it, the draft locally preferred alternative will go to the local sponsoring agencies for their consideration. Adoption of a formal locally preferred alternative is expected in mid-2008, with the release of a final environmental impact statement at the end of the year.
Final approval – a federal record of decision – is expected after the first quarter of 2009, and the soonest construction could begin is 2010. However, construction can only start once funds are secured.
SEEING THE FUTURE
As it is now, there are about 49,000 person trips during peak hours across the bridge with six hours of congestion. In 2030, staff found, if nothing is done, there will be 55,000 person trips with congestion lasting 15 hours.
A replacement bridge would result in 75,000 person trips during peak hours in 2030 with the duration of congestion of 3.5 hours to 5.5 hours versus a supplemental bridge allowing 66,000 person trips with 11 hours of congestion.
Megan Patrick can be reached at mpatrick@vbjusa.com.
