Bridge lift or accident? The thought crosses the minds of many drivers as they sit in stopped traffic headed toward the Interstate 5 Bridge, debating whether to turn off their ignition.
Congresswoman calls for more car commuters in I-5 bridge planning
Won’t somebody think of the automobiles?
According to Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, we ought to be. The congresswoman penned a letter this week calling for more car commuter representation on the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Committee, lest we repeat the disasters of the past.
In the letter addressed to Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Roger Millar and I-5 Bridge Replacement Program Administrator Greg Johnson Herrera Beutler said she was experiencing some flashbacks to the Columbia River Crossing project, which fell apart after eight years and $200 million.
There’s a growing concern that “not enough is being done to ensure that this process will avoid the pitfalls that ultimately doomed the Columbia River Crossing,” she wrote.