Sunday, December 9, 2012

Statesman Journal Editorial Board says "Third Bridge is Vital to Mid-Valley Economy"

The Mid-Valley is inching closer to getting a third Salem-area bridge across the Willamette River. Yet some people question whether that bridge is needed. The answer remains an unequivocal yes.

A third bridge is critical to the Mid-Valley’s economic vitality.

The Salem City Council will hold a work session Dec. 17 on the third-bridge project, known as the Salem River Crossing. The council, working in concert with other local governments, eventually will decide whether to proceed with a bridge, where to build it, what to include as far connecting streets and other infrastructure, and how to pay for it.

It would be at least a $100 million project and conceivably closer to $800 million. “This is such a significant decision,” Salem City Manager Linda Norris said Friday.


Bridge essential for economy


A third bridge should provide an easier, faster connection between Highway 22 and Interstate 5. That would enhance Salem’s role as the gateway to the Oregon Wine Country and to the Oregon Coast. It would make Polk County more attractive for industrial development, while also moving much of the heavy-truck traffic away from downtown Salem. That in turn would make the downtown area more attractive as a place to shop, conduct business and live.

Salem is stuck with having major rail lines traverse the city’s core. But log trucks and most other big rigs — which remain important to our regional economy — could be routed around central Salem via the new bridge and improved street connections. That rerouting cannot be accomplished by simply tweaking the existing bridge access, as some have suggested.

A new bridge — designed and built to withstand the greatest seismic probabilities — would provide a badly needed alternative route in case of a natural disaster that damaged the other bridges or an incident that blocked their traffic. Past incidents have tied up traffic across the Mid-Valley for hours, forcing commuters, trucks and tourists to take bumper-to-bumper detours through Independence, Newberg or other river crossings. Fortunately, such incidents have been rare.

The bridge also would serve the expected growth in Polk and Yamhill counties, especially the West Salem area.


Delays not acceptable


Any bridge is decades away from completion. The environmental impact statement, which was started in 2006, is roughly two-thirds of the way through the process. Then come the funding, design and construction. That’s why it’s important not to delay the project, because many critical decisions must be made before the region can determine local sources — such as tolls or taxes — and seek state and federal funds.

At this point, the favored alternative would cross the Willamette River near Hope Avenue on the west side and near Pine Street on the east side.

As with any decision, there will be winners and losers with whichever alternative is chosen — just as a decision to do nothing would create winners and losers. The public and government leaders have much to consider as far as location, cost and design. But there should be little debate about whether to move forward.


Progress has been slow


A third bridge has been discussed for generations. It was needed decades ago when a planned bridge near Dayton was scuttled. It was needed in the early 1980s when Salem’s Marion and Center street bridges were widened to four lanes each to handle more vehicles. It was needed in the 1990s when Wallace Road NW in West Salem was widened to four lanes to accommodate increased commuter traffic. And it remains needed in the 21st century, even though traffic numbers on the current bridges have dipped slightly, especially during the recession.

Oregon is a manufacturing state and a tourist destination; it has a commuting capital. A strong, efficient and modern transportation system is critical to our economy and to our future. The answer remains unequivocal: The Mid-Valley needs a third Willamette River bridge.