Port celebrates beginning of $56 million
West Vancouver Freight Access Project

Symbolic first shovels in groundbreaking for West Vancouver Freight Access Project are handled by, left to right, Jim Toomey, State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, Terry Finn, BNSF, Larry Paulson Port of Vancouver executive director, Nancy Baker, Port of Vancouver, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, Arch Miller, Port of Vancouver, Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard, Cager Clabuagh ILWU, and Brian Wolfe, Port of Vancouver.

Port of Vancouver officials, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and upwards of 300 of the port’s closest local, city and state supporters and friends turned out under clearing skies this morning to participate in the symbolic groundbreaking of the $56 million West Vancouver Freight Access Project.

As was the case a few years earlier with the Mill Plain Boulevard extension, the freight access project is the product of cooperation among local, state and federal government and private industry. In this case private industry is primarily represented by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.

To be completed in 2010, the main rail line serving Port of Vancouver properties will parallel the BNSF right-of-ways east-west route and will be built under the north-south main rail line connecting Canada and Mexico.

As is Interstate Highway 5, the north-south rail line through Vancouver is considered a major chokepoint of north-south commerce.

The new rail line will reduce rail congestion through Vancouver by 40 percent. “Projections show that we’ll be 80 percent, or more, dependent on rail by 2015, so this rail project is critical,” said port executive director Larry Paulson. The project will enable the port to handle 100-unit trains for port tenants.

It was appropriate that the groundbreaking was held on the 28-acre former Boise Cascade industrial site, between the BNSF main line and the Columbia River being developed by the Graynor group of investors as one of Vancouver’s premier waterfront mixed-use projects. In addition to water front trails, restaurants and shops, the property will become home to thousands of more people in downtown Vancouver.

The New Cars perform at the
county fair this evening

The New Cars headline the Clark County Fair Columbian main stage at 7:30 p.m. this evening.

Reserved seating is $20. All reserved tickets must be bought through Ticketmaster, but unsold tickets the day of the concert will be available at the orange gate.

The ten-day county fair concludes Sunday, Aug. 12. General admission is $9 per person. Senior tickets are $7, and children 7 through 17 are $5 per child. Parking is $5 per vehicle. C-TRAN is offering shuttle service from the Vancouver Mall, Fisher’s Landing, Salmon Creek, Ridgefield and La Center for $1 each.

The fair is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. except Sundays, when the fair closes at 10 p.m.

For additional fair information, go to www.clarkcofair.com.

Commissioners resume work on growth
management plan changes Wednesday

Clark County commissioners have scheduled a 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8, work session to discuss in detail four aspects of proposed changes in the Clark County Comprehensive Growth Management Plan.

Commissioners will discuss the following four specific elements of the plan: changes to urban growth boundaries; zoning in newly designated urban areas; written planning policies; development regulations included in Title 40 of the Clark County Code.

County commissioners will begin formal deliberations on the growth management amendments on Tuesday, Aug. 14.

News briefs

Letters of interest and resumes for a vacancy on the Clark County Solid Waste Advisory Commission are being accepted through Friday, Aug. 24. The commission makes recommendations on solid waste, recycling, waste reduction programs, landfills and transfer facilities. For further information, call Anita Largent, 397-6118, extension 4484. <> Clark County commissioners are accepting applications for membership on the county Bicycle Advisory Committee through Friday, Aug. 31. Applicants must be 16 or older. For further information, call Ejaz Khan 697-6118, extension 4914.

Calendar

The Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, in the sixth floor training room in the Public Service Center. <> Jazz singer Barbara Lusch entertains during the free noon concert in Esther Short Park, Wednesday, Aug. 8. Food and  non-alcoholic beverages are available.  

Headlines Tuesday, Aug. 7

Vancouver wants C-TRAN to manage high capacity transit system--Columbian, Jeffrey Mize

You gotta stop for pedestrians--Columbian, Kelly Adams

Homebuilders putting final touches on Parade of Homes--Columbian, Cami Joner

Housing prices defy logic, keep climbing--Seattle Times, Elizabeth Rhodes

Fed leaves interest rate at 5.25 percent; stock market closes higher--New York Times, Jeremy W. Peters

Britain asks U.S. to release 5 detainees from Guantanamo--New York Times, Raymond Bonner

U.S. offers to bolster presence in Baghdad--Washington Post, Colum Lynch

Iraq Coalition Casualties