Having just written an op-ed that was in part about how expanding and empowering regional governments could help us out of the stalemate around the Interstate Bridge replacement, I find myself still thinking about this, specifically the debate around whether or not to run the MAX across a new bridge. The old Columbia River Crossing project failed because Republicans in the Washington State Senate refused to fund a bridge that would include light rail. I've seen a number of Clark County folks on the internet protest the extension of Portland's "crime train" into their state, but speaking for myself (and I assume at least a few like-minded people) I'd be much more likely to go to Vancouver or even consider living there if I had a reliable, stress-free alternative to Interstate Bridge and I-5 traffic and all the angry people stuck in it.
In "Access to Choice" Jonathan Lecine makes the argument that transportation and land-use are trapped in something of a vicious cycle in which people-oriented and transit-supportive land-uses a effectively prohibited by the lack of reliable non-automobile options, and vice versa. One quote from Levine's article that stood out to me was "self-selection is the prime process by which alternative development forms might affect travel... It is much more promising to accommodate people whose preferences for less auto-dominated environments have been inhibited by zoning and other exclusionary regulations." I would go ahead and classify the lack of light rail across the Columbia one of these other exclusionary regulations. While I think much of Clark County is a sprawling mess, I like Downtown Vancouver alright and would love to see it connected to the MAX. While I know there's considerable opposition to overcome in bringing light rail to Vancouver, I can't help but think it could work wonders for expanding transportation and lifestyle choices in the way Levine discusses. Plus, their mayor (elected 2018) thinks it's a good idea!
References
Levine, J. "Access to Choice." Access, Spring 1999, pp. 16-19.
Brown, C. (2018, March 30). Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle delivers her first State of the City address. Clark County Today. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/vancouver-mayor-anne-mcenerny-ogle-delivers-her-first-state-of-the-city-address/
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