PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Vancouver officials are still pushing for transit investments along the upgraded Interstate 5 Bridge to stretch to Evergreen Boulevard.
Earlier in April, Vancouver City Council opposed Interstate Bridge Replacement Program plans that would have the new light rail stop at the waterfront — rather than the initial plans of it extending further into the city. While Interim Program Administrator Carley Francis said the extension remains part of the long-term goals, she also noted that project leaders are prioritizing the five-mile corridor along the Columbia River connecting Vancouver and Portland.
“The selection of waterfront is tied to other costs that are necessary, per the design that we have right now, for getting further than the waterfront — so there are some very real kind of challenges beyond that,” Francis told councilors at a workshop on Monday. “The current cost and funding availability really limited what options that we had. We were trying to figure out how to get the bridge across the river started and underway.”…