We have created a petition and are asking people throughout the region to tell the Governor Kulongoski and Gregoire, “Not one more dollar for the Columbia River Crossing!” We are trying to get 1000 people to sign by June 30th. Please sign the petition at change.org or below.
This is necessary given that over the last several years, over $100 million has been wasted in our names – supposedly for our benefit – on a transportation project design that is outdated, unsustainable and out-of-touch with our region’s values. I am writing, of course, about the Columbia River Crossing: a project with an estimated $4-10 billion price tag, who’s own “independent” review panel has finally deemed critical aspects of the design unfit.
While most of the wasted money was intended to support the research required to ensure that this project’s plan was sound, and that the interests of all members of our region would be represented in its end result, much of it was actually used to shamelessly fund large-scale promotion of the plan, regardless of its obvious flaws and weaknesses. All of this while marginalizing legitimate dissenting viewpoints that reflected real, workable alternatives, offered by key members of our community.
Despite the years of accumulated dissent from their concerned constituents, as well as the 11th hour rejection of the original bridge design by its own review panel, governors Kitzhaber (OR) and Gregoire (WA) have recently ramped up their efforts to push this failed project forward. What will it take for our elected officials to recognize that this project is fundamentally flawed?
We say, “Enough is enough!” We DEMAND to go back to the drawing board! It has become obvious that these leaders, and those at the helm of this project, are drastically out of touch with the sustainability and equity goals of our region.
Only by wiping the slate clean, and restarting the project’s process in an open and equitable fashion, may we see the end-result of infrastructure that not only better connects our region, but also ourselves, to a brighter future. Help us accomplish this by signing the petition. Please help spread the word and thank you