BILL REQ. #:  S-1337.1 

Read first time 02/07/2007.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     WHEREAS, Interstate 5 is the only continuous north-south interstate highway on the West Coast and provides a vital commerce and travel corridor linking the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the states of California, Oregon, and Washington; and
     WHEREAS, The five-mile segment of Interstate 5 between Columbia Boulevard in Portland, Oregon and State Route 500 in Vancouver, Washington, including the Columbia River bridge, contains eight interchanges connecting four state highways (SR 14, SR 500, SR 501, and OR 99E) with several major arterials; and
     WHEREAS, One Interstate 5 bridge crossing the Columbia River was built in 1917 and the other in 1958, and neither meets appropriate earthquake standards; and
     WHEREAS, The Columbia River Interstate 5 bridges served 30,000 vehicles per day in the 1960s and now serve 125,000 vehicles per day on weekdays; and
     WHEREAS, Traffic on the bridges in 2020 is anticipated to reach 180,000 vehicles per day, and regional truck traffic is projected to increase by approximately 130 percent in the next 25 years; and
     WHEREAS, Congestion on the bridges is projected to grow to 13 hours a day by 2020, making traffic congestion a nearly continuous condition during daylight hours; and
     WHEREAS, The Portland/Vancouver I-5 Transportation and Trade Partnership brought Washington and Oregon citizens together beginning in 2001 to develop a plan for addressing problems in this corridor; and
     WHEREAS, As a result of this plan, the Washington Department of Transportation is currently widening Interstate 5 in the Salmon Creek area of North Vancouver and the Oregon Department of Transportation is currently on track to begin construction of the Delta Park Interstate 5 widening project in late 2008; and
     WHEREAS, Bistate cooperation continues through the Columbia River Crossing Project, which has begun the environmental impact statement process for the river crossing and Interstate 5 improvements in the five-mile area; and
     WHEREAS, Both Washington and Oregon have enacted independent and separate "public-private partnership" legislation that may have applicability to the construction of any new bridge facility crossing the Columbia River on Interstate 5; and
     WHEREAS, The Columbia River Crossing is a crucial transportation project that will contribute to the economic vitality of the northwest and the nation as a whole by serving the national purpose of ensuring safe and efficient movement of goods and people; and
     WHEREAS, The Washington state legislature recognizes that completion of the Columbia River Crossing Project will require strong partnerships between all levels of government and with the private sector and citizens of Oregon and Washington;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a joint interim work group regarding the Columbia River Crossing Project be established to educate citizens and legislators on the importance of the project, to continue to study any outstanding legislative issues that may apply regarding the project, and to work cooperatively with interested legislators from Oregon's Legislative Assembly to work towards a common project; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the work group consist of eight members, four members each selected by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the work group, in order to help facilitate carrying the project to successful completion, support:
     (1) Continuation of bistate, bipartisan, and multijurisdictional efforts in planning, coordination, and funding;
     (2) Recognizing and addressing vital roles and impacts on marine, rail, transit, air, freight, and pedestrian modes;
     (3) Recognizing the importance of, and addressing the needs of, affected business centers and neighborhoods;
     (4) Continuation and increasing focus on short and long-term demand management strategies;
     (5) Joining of state and local government agencies and the private sector in a strong partnership that contributes to completion of the project;
     (6) The federal government, including the United States Department of Transportation and regulatory agencies involved in the project, engaging in a spirit of cooperation to streamline the regulatory process and remove unnecessary impediments to the speedy development and delivery of the project; and
     (7) The congressional delegations of Oregon and Washington strongly advocating for the Columbia River Crossing Project and working to provide federal funding and other assistance that will advance this project of national and regional significance; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the work group report its findings and recommendations to the legislature at the regular session held in 2008.