Cable Stay Design

There were a lot of discussions about the Columbia River Crossing this weekend as things come to a head (again). New developments include the information that Pearson Airfield doesn't really pose much of an issue to building a taller/superior cable stay bridge. It is superior because that bridge type performs better in earthquakes, has a smaller # piers in the water and thus less environmental impact, plus becomes an icon spurring development for both sides of the river. Some characterize it as a merely aesthetic choice but seismic and environmental superiority plus the fact that the design is more pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists makes is a superior design which costs less than than the initially proposed bridge design (which was awful). This whole process has been backwards as PORT was the first to point out.

Last weekend:

Jeff Stuhr and Mark Masciarotte gave a guest opinion in the Oregonian

Brian Libby at Portland Architecture responds to a specious article in the Portland Business Journal

Ethan Seltzer penned a guest article for the Oregonian (which tragically lacks an architecture critic).

Hell even Vancouver's city council likes the cable stayed design.

This process has been tremendously flawed (putting off the shelf bridge types above a true design discussion), but let's build the right bridge... we don't need the wrong one and building a horrible legacy for those who will have to suffer such a monstrosity in the future misses a great opportunity to re-imagine Portland and Vancouver's relationship to the mighty Columbia (and each other). Right now the only bridge that can bring everyone together is the cable stay design because it adds to the region rather than merely puts a transit band-aid upon it. Kitzhaber should listen to his base in Multnomah county, which has growing public support for the better performing cable stay design. And while he is at the project should hire a good architect to make certain the key design details are executed well, rather than in a perfunctory manner.