CRC MegaBridge Railroads Bikes

by: Evan Manvel | September 1, 2009 - 12:19

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance has an excellent summary of what's happened to the proposed bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the design of the region's largest-ever infrastructure project, the Columbia River Crossing multi-billion-dollar MegaBridge.

In short: they've gone from 12 and 26 feet wide to a single dark underbridge design, mostly 16 feet wide.

Check out Michelle's explanation of the process, and how bicyclists have been systematically cut as the design has gone forward.

An ironic start to the Bike Commute Challenge month.

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Comments

Submitted by Mara Gross (not verified) on September 23, 2009 - 11:30.

It’s laughable to say a covered structure with open sides 20 feet away will provide a sense of openness and light, and scary that safety and maintenance isn’t a higher priority. Many people – including the Pedestrian/ Bicycle Advisory Committee members – have expressed concern about adequate funding for safety and maintenance on an under-freeway bicycle and pedestrian facility.

Below is more info on the bike facilities as posted on BTA's blog by Michelle Poyourow, BTA advocate and educator, who was a member of the CRC Pedestrian/ Bicycle Advisory Committee until she recently left the committee because of the project's failure to produce good results. Evan linked to it, and I’m pasting it here in response to the comment above by CRC communications staff:

From BTA's Blog:

Since 2008, the bridge pathway design has been stripped of most bicycle and pedestrian amenities. The design has gone

–from two paths on either side of the bridge (at 12' and 26' wide) to just one
–from access at both sides of I-5 (which is very wide) in Vancouver to just on one
–from two elevators in the system to one
–from four or more viewpoints along the route to just one
–from 2 open-air, full-view paths to one that is deeply overhung and enclosed along half its length

Further, the quality of the bicycle and pedestrian facilities are always vastly overstated when the CRC presents them to the public:

–the path is touted as "twenty-four feet wide" when in fact it is only so at its flattest, straightest part - most of the route is just the DOT standard 16' wide
–travel distance on the planned path would actually be LONGER; it is more circuitous than today's route
–access to the path from Vancouver will require going up 5 blocks worth of corkscrews
–the under-bridge path is always depicted on a blazingly-sunny day at dawn, and never with a glimpse to the east, and the 200 feet of concrete overhang and multiple structural walls
–the under-bridge path is described as "world-class" despite the fact that noone else in the world has ever made the mistake of building one like it
...

Submitted by Peter Ovington (not verified) on September 18, 2009 - 16:24.

I work with the I-5 Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project and provide staff support to the project’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee. I’d like to correct some recent misinformation about plans for the pedestrian and bicycle path. First, I want to provide an update and some good news.

On Sept. 4, the CRC Project Sponsors Council unanimously supported a plan that would substantially improve bike and pedestrian access across the Columbia River, based on the recent PBAC recommendation. (You can watch the meeting on www.cvtv.org). The project is now moving forward with a two-structure bridge across the Columbia River that will improve travel for bicyclists, pedestrians, public transit riders, and all other users. Today, the CRC Urban Design Advisory Group adopted a design concept for the main span across the Columbia River and two alternative design concepts for the North Portland Harbor bridge.

Below are a few facts about the proposed bike and pedestrian path. You can view an image of the proposed path design on page 25 of this document.

Path width: The covered path on the future I-5 bridge will be up to 24 feet wide, compared to the current 4-ft wide paths.

Access points: There will be ramps, stairs, and/or elevators connecting with existing and planned sidewalks and pathways in Vancouver, on Hayden Island, and near Marine Drive. The connections will be coordinated with ongoing planning in those areas. The entire pathway, connecting ramps and all other improvements in the five-mile corridor will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Scenic overlooks: The project’s Urban Design Advisory Group is examining options for at least one overlook on the replacement bridge.

Sense of openness: Only about a quarter of the new path will be covered, and this portion will be open on both sides, providing light, fresh air and views. The ceiling of the covered section will be 23 to 30 feet high. The two overhangs cantilevering from the sides of the bridge above the covered pathway will be approximately 20 feet each (not 200 feet).

Distance: The proposed new path is a somewhat shorter route (2.20 miles instead of today’s 2.25 miles, measuring from Delta Park to Esther Short Park) and eliminates the current steep grade on the existing bridges. The proposed path requires fewer at-grade roadway crossings. The covered path option minimizes the distance traveled on the ramps approaching the bridge, compared to the other options, thereby reducing the amount of out-of-direction travel.

Peter Ovington
Columbia River Crossing project
ovingtonp@columbiarivercrossing.org

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