The Columbia River Crossing (CRC) is a massively expensive freeway expansion project for I-5 between North Portland and Vancouver. As conceived, it will increase global warming pollution, harm people’s health, and undermine our region’s vision of a sustainable economy. The CRC will leave us unprepared for the future, while draining billions of our limited public resources from other important transportation projects.

The Coalition for a Livable Future supports a responsible approach to the CRC -- an approach that will prepare us for the future while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions so that we can ensure our health and security.

What's at stake?

Our future is at stake.

Scientists tell us we must cut green house gas emissions by 60 to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 for climate stabilization to occur. Economists tell us a failure to act could cost us 5 to 20% of our GDP. Clearly, we must align our public policies and future investments to reduce our carbon footprint to avoid catastrophic consequences from climate change.

For transportation, which is responsible for over 37% of regional climate pollution, it means we must find a way to reduce the growth in driving, as well as supporting improvements in vehicle and fuel technologies. This means the CRC, which is the region's most expensive transportation investment in history, must help us move in the right direction.

Instead, under the CRC's current plan, greenhouse gas emissions will increase 32% over today's levels by 2030. That is irresponsible and should be unacceptable.

The CRC’s highways-heavy plan will also deepen inequality in our community. When Interstate 5 was built, it divided neighborhoods and left nearby residents, who are disproportionately low-income and people of color, to deal with air and noise pollution ever since. We know now living next a freeway makes people sick and can stunt children's growth and development.

Not only will additional freeway lanes lead to more pollution and health problems in I-5 neighborhoods, but global warming will magnify them. Increased temperatures and extreme weather events brought about by global warming will harm most those in our community who are already sick and vulnerable, including the proportionately large number of low-income people of color living along the I-5 Corridor in N/NE Portland and Clark County. And, as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina demonstrated, poor people and people of color are at greatest risk of suffering most when such catastrophes occur.

A Different Direction

The good news is both Oregon and Washington took a critical first step by passing laws committing the states to dramatically reduce greenhouse gases. The CRC Project must help us reach these goals, rather than undermine them.

We believe our region has the know-how and workforce to meet the challenge of creating a responsible, climate-smart CRC.

The Portland metropolitan area is known nationally for our forward-thinking land use and transportation, and for being an innovator in the sustainability movement. We should seize this moment and capitalize on our sustainability know-how, demonstrating how to make transportation projects part of the global warming solution. There is no better place to begin this challenging work than with our most expensive transportation project–-the CRC.

A Responsible CRC Project will lead us toward the sustainable economic future we want

The jobs that could be created with a low-pollution CRC are green collar and green design jobs - the jobs we want for our future. The sustainable transportation expertise we could build by taking a portion of a freeway and transforming it to meet 21st century needs will have national demand, as many other states work to meet their climate commitments. The green manufacturing--of light rail and new buses--and rehabilitation/construction of smart, green infrastructure, will prepare us for the green economy we say we want. Sustainable industries and green, living wage jobs are our future. Our public investments with the CRC can lead us toward this future.

What is a Responsible CRC Project?

A more responsible CRC project would reduce global warming pollution in line with Oregon's and Washington's climate change commitments. To get there, the CRC project must be dramatically reconfigured to give users the ability to drive less, which is the keystone to minimizing the project's carbon footprint. A responsible CRC would reduce pollutants, re-green the corridor, and give people more transportation choices – all of which offer numerous health benefits. It would also create a more secure future for those who are most vulnerable. Potential elements include an upgraded freight rail bridge and local bridge to Hayden Island.