Editor,
The draft EIS for the replacement of the Interstate 5 bridge is finally available. Please comment on the most important item in that document — the fact that the public was lied to by the IBR (Interstate Bridge Replacement) team when they were comparing options to replace the bridge.
The public was explicitly told that the tunnel option could not provide connections to critical streets on Hayden Island and downtown Vancouver. That was a blatant lie made to deceive the public into believing the tunnel was not worth a detailed evaluation. It is no wonder that only 22% of the population trusts government to do the right thing.
In my 40 years as a consulting civil engineer helping local government implement public infrastructure projects, never once did I see agency staff lie to the public. This is the first time, and it is totally outrageous.
Please stop by 215 W. Fourth St. in Vancouver and look at the to-scale model that was built to show clearly that tunnel connections to critical streets can easily be made. The IBR lie will become very apparent. Again, please comment on the environmental impact statement and ask for a credible evaluation of the tunnel option. Do not let the WSDOT bureaucrats and their consultants get away with lying to the public.
Robert Wallis
Vancouver
