The Columbia River Crossing I-5 project has finally died! When the Oregon Legislature adjourned on Friday without funding the project, ODOT announced that the CRC is shutting down.
This victory is important. CLF spent nine years advocating for a better approach to the CRC because it didn’t reflect the type of innovative planning that would leave a positive legacy for the region.
The Oregonian called the demise of the CRC “an enormous victory for environmental and urban planning groups.” We’re proud of our success, and thank the many community partners who spoke out, organized, testified, litigated, researched the issues, submitted comments, contacted elected officials, developed alternatives, donated so CLF could advocate, and did a myriad of other things that led to the CRC’s defeat.
CLF worked to steer the CRC in a positive direction, and then ultimately opposed the project when the massive I-5 expansion became the chosen design. Public investments, especially ones of this scale, should build the region for prosperity. Major changes to I-5 should improve our quality of life, promote sustainable economic development, and counter sprawl. They should connect communities, and connect us to the Columbia River.
Today we celebrate. It’s an exciting victory, though bittersweet because it came after nearly $200 million in public dollars spent, years of time and energy sunk into a fundamentally misguided plan, and relationships harmed by spending years in conflict.
We’re also cognizant that the CRC was declared dead last year, only to be revived with an even riskier, Oregon-only scheme. So we will continue to follow CRC to make sure it’s really dead and litigation is no longer necessary.
Imagine what could happen when we put that much energy into sustainable, innovative solutions that build toward people's aspirations. For 20 years, that’s what the Coalition for a Livable Future has been about. Thank you for being a part of our community.
Mara Gross
Executive Director