The Associated Press
VANCOUVER, Wash. — The City Council in Vancouver, Wash., has adopted a resolution in support of replacing the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River.
The resolution asks Gov. Jay Inslee and the state Legislature to provide funding to advance the long-debated project.
Many people live in Vancouver and work in Portland, Ore.
Frustrating commute
Traffic jams frustrate commuters and commercial drivers near the bridge that connects the cities, and a new one — perhaps with the addition of light rail — is seen as at least a partial solution.
“The replacement of the bridge will be critical to the continued economic growth of the bi-state region,” Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said in a statement Tuesday.
$190M of planning
The resolution comes five years after a project known as the Columbia River Crossing went nowhere after nearly $190 million worth of planning.
Oregon and Washington were supposed to each contribute money for the new span, but Washington lawmakers balked in 2013.
Oregon tried to keep the project alive without Washington’s help, but quickly dropped that idea.
McEnerny-Ogle urged neighboring cities and local ports to pass similar resolutions to show the governor and the Legislature that southwest Washington is united in its support for the bridge.
Unanimous vote
The Columbian newspaper reported the resolution passed unanimously Monday night with no discussion.
“Our community has asked for help, our businesses have asked for help,” the mayor said before making the motion to pass the resolution.
