Salem CRC Hearing Liveblog: Round 2

Hi, folks. The defunct Columbia River Crossing freeway mega-expansion appears to be back. Mismanaging Perception will be live-blogging a committee hearing in Salem today, January 14th, 2014 beginning shortly before 1PM. For previous CRC related articles from MMP, click HERE. MMP’s CRC liveblog from last year can be reviewed HERE.

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Thanks to everyone who followed us via Mismanaging Perception and Rebel Metropolis.

Co-chair abruptly mumbles thank yous, mentions continued conversation, gavels us out and the crowd goes wild! Rushes to get the hell out of here. It’s Miller time!!

Rep. Bentz asks what Ted Wheeler needs to feel legislature has gotten its act together. More laughter. Treasurer rep can’t really answer. Gotta love the bureaucrats unmatched ability to have no clue what they’re doing. My current state of enthusiasm:
Photo on 2014-01-14 at 17.11

Sen. Johnson asks if “treasurer would recommend investors would put money into a Too-Low bridge?” Laughter from audience, couple of ‘Ooohs!’

Sen Elizabeth Steiner-Hayward continues asking tough questions: “How will we create new revenue sources if general funds are on the hook to pay back bonds?”

Entering hour number 5 as the sun sets. Treasurer reps thanks committee for their stamina. Chuckles abound.

Sen. Winter, “Serious lack of people of color in this project. It’s unbelievable to me.”

Sen. Johnson, “I shouldn’t have to BEG to get a priced list [of specifics]!”

Tone getting heated between Sen. Johnson and CRC testifiers.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…

Rep. Parrish, you should have said this out loud at the hearing!

Hearing room still packed going into hour four. Last year with public testimony room was clearing out by now. Come for the slideshow, stay for the gaping holes in CRC logic.

Chair Read: “Can we suspend driver’s license for non-compliance?” DOJ: “No.”

DOJ can’t answer question: “If Wash. drivers know there’s no way to enforce toll violations, what’s to stop them all from not paying?”

Grumpy Cat isn’t not impressed with this hearing.
1011964_211903768961682_65253025_n

I don’t even know what this means:

Ugh, hearing is getting boring, too many technical minutia. longs for summertime rabble-rousing

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CRC says no way to collect tolls from Canadian drivers. Blames Patriot Act.

CRC says surveys tell exactly which people use bridge 1 or 2 times a week vs every day. But they forgot to ask them what state they live in? Inconceivable!!

Rep. Anderson: “It should would be a lot simpler if we could just send the state of Washington a bill for this.”

Crowd is getting antsy, tired of non-asnwers, craning neck to view pie chart on new wall directly behind them.

CRC can’t answer how many bridge users are Oregon vs Washington drivers, estimates could be 2/1 ratio. That’s a big guess.

Sen. Gorsek: (paraphrasing) “I don’t see where we’re really getting a full picture. I-5, I-84, I-205 all connected, yet your analysis doesn’t reflect this.”

Sen. Johnson: “I’m not satisfied with your diversion answer.”

This hearing is matching CRC’s website update more and more:
CRC punkd 2

Sen. Chip Shields nails it: “How there be such a discrepancy between traffic migration between this report and the EIS several years ago?”

Rep. Parrish: “If you’re telling you’re not factoring in I-205 traffic increase, it would be great if CDM/ODOT go back in re-evaluate that.”

Great question: Rep. Smith: “Is increased maintenance costs to I-205 post traffic migration been considered in CRC costs?” Answer: “No.”

 

Really wish this could be included in the slideshow: 66120_159870637498329_1969522475_n

 

 

Rep. Parrish first to ask about traffic migration to I-205.

Sen. Johnson to Garrett, “You keep talking variables…where’s ODOT’s assurance that overruns won’t create a sucking noise of funds for other projects?” Sen. Johnson asks about guarantee of Fed funding, “I don’t imagine there’s $850 million sitting in a box somewhere.” Draws laughter from audience.

 

 

 

Sen. Chip Shields asks if Oregon has authority to change tolls to Wash.,Garrett nods approval, gives vague answer, says will be addressed more later. CRC Twitter feed dishing out predictable bullsh*t.

Livestream of committee hearing in Room F is HERE. Senator Betsy Johnson starts with a tough tone.

 

CRC showing slideshow, predictable shots of gridlock traffic from a decade ago.

CRC opponent Evan Manvel is already on fire.

 

 

Hearing is beginning, room is now full. Rep. Read gavels us to order.

Just arrived here at the capitol building in Salem, getting settled in and set up. Spectators trickling in.

 

 


 The next Columbia River Crossing hearing at the capitol in Salem is this Tuesday, January 14th, 2014 at 1pm. Testimony is by invitation only. If you can’t make it in person, please follow the Mismanaging Perception liveblog of the hearing, beginning shortly after noon that day.