A new transit working group for the Columbia River Crossing project has begun its work to determine a plan for light rail in Vancouver.
The group will have held its first meeting Jan. 6, laying the groundwork for its task to gather and assess public input on light rail. The former CRC Task Force voted June 24, 2008, to recommend replacement of the Interstate 5 bridge between Vancouver and Portland with light rail mass transit.
In preparation for that replacement, the new transit working group will review and discuss the public’s light rail suggestions and concerns to eventually make recommendations to the city of Vancouver, C-Tran and CRC regarding light rail alignment, security, station locations and design, and park and ride facilities.
The group has 21 members, including business owners and representatives of neighborhood associations, Clark College, the Vancouver School District and other public agencies.
“I think we should have light rail as much as we can,” said Rob Barrentine, who represents the American Institute of Architects Vancouver Chapter on the working group. “I have no opinions on the routing or the stops. Let’s hope what will come out of it is some kind of consensus and support for a solution.”
“From a business perspective and an individual perspective, any of the proposed alignment options impact me,” said Cirith Anderson-Sebree, vice president and risk compliance manager for Vancouver-based Bank of Clark County, who represents the Uptown Village Association on the working group.
“My friends have small businesses uptown, and I care about their well being,” she said. “I think the future of Vancouver can be centered in a very positive way around sustainable transportation options.”
They and other work group members were chosen from recommendations of CRC, the city of Vancouver and C-Tran staff, and are listed at columbiarivercrossing.org. A similar working group is forming in Portland, primarily to address station planning on Hayden Island, said CRC Spokeswoman Carly Frances.
The group’s first public input invitation will be a light rail alignment walking tour led by CRC and C-Tran employees at 9 a.m. on Jan. 10, starting at Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver.
“They’re going to walk the alignment, talk through what’s there and what could be there, and what some of the design issues are,” Frances said. “(It’s) to get people out and see what they’re talking about before they get into a room to start working on it.
“Since it has the potential for a significant affect on what Vancouver looks like, we want to make sure we’re working really closely in conjunction with C-Tran and the city.”
Public workshops regarding the walking tour and its related issues are set for noon Jan. 10 at Hudson’s Bay and 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at Discovery Middle School in Vancouver.
Since October 2005, CRC has held more than 500 events to gather public input on the project from more than 17,000 people, Frances said. That includes what she called a “business-by-business approach” of visits to businesses potentially affected by the addition of light rail.
Public comments on the project can also be sent to feedback@columbiarivercrossing.org or 700 Washington St., Suite 300, Vancouver, WA 98660.
Charity Thompson can be reached at cthompson@vbjusa.com.
