Efforts by local leaders to revive a $3.4 billion plan to replace the bridge linking Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, Washington is just the latest example of a trend in metropolitan innovation in the face of federal and state gridlock.
"[A]fter more than 20 years and tens of millions of dollars’ worth of studies, [the Columbia River Crossing plan] was killed last month by the Washington State Senate after the Republican-dominated majority coalition declined to vote on financing it," writes Kirk Johnson. "The governors of Oregon and Washington, both Democrats, immediately ordered further planning work halted."
"Then, almost without missing a beat, local leaders picked up the ball. If political paralysis in Olympia, the capital of Washington, had killed the old proposal, they said, then cooperation on the ground, by people who have witnessed the region’s transportation changes firsthand, would find the way."
"There is a pattern in this, reflected across the nation, say planners, economists and academics: cities are taking the lead," explains Johnson. "As recession and government downsizing have squeezed federal and state options, and partisan stalemate politics have crippled some state capitals, local leaders have pushed the front lines of change, if only by necessity."
FULL STORY: Washington and Oregon Cities Try to Evade Political Jam to Build a Bridge
Reviving the Failed Columbia River Crossing to Connect Oregon, Washington
A project is back from the dead in the Pacific Northwest, at least in the eyes of the governors of Oregon and Washington.
New Hope for the Abandoned I-5 Bridge Project Between Oregon and Washington
The mayor of Vancouver, Washington is leading a goodwill campaign in the hopes of launching work on a new bridge over the Columbia River, after Washington abandoned Oregon on the project in 2013.
Anatomy of a Failed Infrastructure Project: Columbia River Crossing
Bloomberg Businessweek examines the failed Columbia River Crossing project as a poster child for how political dysfunction is derailing critically needed infrastructure.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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