http://couv.com Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. Fri, 07 Nov 2014 16:49:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. http://couv.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://couv.com http://couv.com/featured/crc-divide http://couv.com/featured/crc-divide#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 01:04:11 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=28706 http://couv.com/featured/crc-divide/feed 0 http://couv.com/community/vancouver-unmarked http://couv.com/community/vancouver-unmarked#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 13:00:51 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=28644 http://couv.com/community/vancouver-unmarked/feed 0 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/attorney-survives-train-crash http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/attorney-survives-train-crash#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:40:13 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=11426 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/attorney-survives-train-crash/feed 0 Clark County Today,david madore,kathy marshack,michael langsdorf,railroad crossing,train crash,train crossing,video Vancouver attorney Michael Langsdorf drove his 2006 Lexus SUV up to a private railroad crossing just north of the Columbia River at 105th Avenue. He says he stopped, looked right, looked left, and "didn't see any train at all." - Vancouver attorney Michael Langsdorf drove his 2006 Lexus SUV up to a private railroad crossing just north of the Columbia River at 105th Avenue. He says he stopped, looked right, looked left, and "didn't see any train at all." The unlevel approach to the crossing, and possibily the early evening sun, may have obscured his vision of an approaching, eastbound train. He never saw the train, but he heard the train's whistle and hit his accelerator.   Langsdorf said the train bore down on him at 70 mph, but that the engineer was able to "lock it down and get to maybe 63 when he hit my car." The collision threw the SUV off the tracks and sent Langsdorf to the hospital. He suffered a crushed vertebrae, a lot of sore muscles, and after his near-death experience he has a renewed purpose to help others. He appeared before the Vancouver City Council and asked for review of statues that allow trains to travel through residential areas at very high speeds. "If we don't allow cars to travel more than 35 mph through a residential area, we shouldn't allow a train to travel at 70 mph through a residential area. We don't even allow freeways to travel that fast," says Langsdorf, and notes that when the ordinances were written trains didn't move 70 mph and the area where he was hit was far less populated.   "Four more feet and I was dead." In addition to the above Clark County Today video, Langsdorf's City Council testimony can be viewed on CVTV. Choose "Citizen Forum" on the linked page and forward to 4:54. Private railway crossings were the subject of an earlier COUV.COM piece: Marshack says civil rights ignored. Watch other programs from Clark County Today. Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no 16:11 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-marshack http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-marshack#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:15:47 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=5072 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-marshack/feed 0 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-4 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-4#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:00:27 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=4601 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-4/feed 0 another way BPA,bonneville power administration,BPA,clark county issues,Clark County Today,david madore,ed orcutt,ed stortro,gray line,grey line,jaime herrera beutler,jordan thompson In the final segment of our four-part “BPA, Another Way,” series, Clark County Today host David Madore wraps up his conversation with Washington State Rep. for District 18, Ed Orcutt (R – Kalama), and Terry Constance, of Another Way BPA, In the final segment of our four-part “BPA, Another Way,” series, Clark County Today host David Madore wraps up his conversation with Washington State Rep. for District 18, Ed Orcutt (R – Kalama), and Terry Constance, of Another Way BPA, about of the Bonneville Power Administration’s plans for constructing a new 500,000 volt transmission line from Castle Rock through southwest Washington to Troutdale in Oregon. Constance describes the many ways people can become involved with the process of communicating their concerns and ideas to the BPA and one another. People can visit the website nowaybpa.com and learn about monthly community meetings that happen at different locations in Clark County the third Thursday of each month, at 6 pm. People can also send comments directly to the BPA or send comments to nowaybpa.com, which will forward them onto BPA on their behalf.   CREDITS Video shot by Ed Stortro and Scott Thompson Video edited by Ed Stortro and Jordan Thompson     View our part one of this series of interviews with Terry Constance of Another Way BPA and Rep. Ed Orcutt (September 17, 2011): Clark County Today - BPA, Another Way part 3 Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no 13:33 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-3 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-3#comments Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:00:02 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=4598 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-3/feed 0 another way BPA,bonneville power administration,BPA,clark county issues,Clark County Today,david madore,ed orcutt,ed stortro,gray line,grey line,jaime herrera beutler,jordan thompson In part three of our four-part series, “BPA, Another Way,” host David Madore continues his conversation with Washington State Representative for District 18, Ed Orcutt (R – Kalama), and Terry Constance, of Another Way BPA, In part three of our four-part series, “BPA, Another Way,” host David Madore continues his conversation with Washington State Representative for District 18, Ed Orcutt (R – Kalama), and Terry Constance, of Another Way BPA, about the realities of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) constructing a new 500,000 volt transmission line from Castle Rock, Wash. through Southwest Washington to Troutdale, Ore. Some proposed BPA routes will place high powered 500,000 volt transmission lines in residential areas in cities large and small, including Vancouver and Camas. Orcutt and Constance say these potential routes will be expensive, as BPA will need to acquire private property and invite years oflitigation from angry property owners. “This would be the first time in history that BPA has built these kinds of lines through this much population,” said Constance. “I don’t think the public is going to stand for it.” Madore says that in addition to being eyesores, the towers could pose a significant danger should one ever fall over close to residential areas. A 500 KV transmission tower can be hundreds of feet in size, requiring as much as 350 feet of distance on either side to create a safety zone, or “prudent avoidance.” The lines radiate a strong electromagnetic field hundreds of feet in every direction, and can make a lot of noise. “They snap, crackle, and pop,” said Constance. Constance says his alternative “gray line” would primarily travel over public-owned lands in remote areas.  He thinks it would be a matter of a few BPA engineers going into the field and taking coordinates to map out a route that will avoid populated areas. Orcutt adds that the citizens he has spoken to aren’t necessarily saying they don’t want transmission lines, they have simply offered alternatives to mitigate the impact. However, Constance feels the BPA takes lots of notes when citizens speak, but doesn’t seem to take their concerns that seriously. “They listen to us, but they don’t do anything from what they’ve heard,” he said. “There is a 1,296 page document of people saying they don’t want these lines anywhere around them, but yet, they’re just part of the record. So they’re basically ignored.” Next episode: "Letting your voice be heard." Credits A COUV.COM Production. Video shot by Ed Stortro and Scott Thompson Video edited by Ed Stortro & Jordan Thompson View our part two of this series of interviews with Terry Constance of Another Way BPA and Rep. Ed Orcutt (September 16, 2011): Clark County Today - BPA, Another Way part 2 Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no 13:38 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-2 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-2#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:00:05 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=4594 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-bpa-2/feed 0 another way BPA,bonneville power administration,BPA,clark county issues,Clark County Today,david madore,ed orcutt,ed stortro,gray line,grey line,jaime herrera beutler,jordan thompson In Part II of our “Another Way BPA” series, David Madore continues his conversation with Terry Constance and Washington State Representative for District 18, Ed Orcutt, (R – Kalama), about two different alternative routes that the Bonneville Power Admi... In Part II of our “Another Way BPA” series, David Madore continues his conversation with Terry Constance and Washington State Representative for District 18, Ed Orcutt, (R – Kalama), about two different alternative routes that the Bonneville Power Administration could consider for its proposed 500 KV power line from Castle Rock, Wash. south into Oregon. One route, called the “Pearl line,” is one BPA has considered in the past, but inexplicably removed from its most current maps. It would stretch from Castle Rock, Wash. to Wilsonville, Ore., crossing over the Columbia River at Camas. Constance and Orcutt consider the Pearl a viable route, but say the BPA never released a study on the line to explain why it is no longer being considered. Madore asks how well the BPA has honored the intent of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). He says the legislation is in place to ensure not only community input, but that the wishes and ideas of citizens actually help direct planners in their decisions. Constance says it took a letter from Washington congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, (R – Camas) to prompt the BPA to look at an alternative route he is calling the "gray line."  It would run along the eastern edge of Clark County in what is primarily state and federally-owned forest land. Constance and several volunteers have spent hours in the field marking coordinates and shaping the route so that it would have zero impact on people.  Because the gray line would run through publicly-owned land, it promises to be a cheaper alternative than options that send the lines over private property. The gray route presents less impact, and lessens the likelihood of litigation. Orcutt and Constance say that either the Pearl or Gray lines are acceptable alternatives to the current routes BPA is considering. They would like to see both included in the BPA’s draft environmental impact statement on the project, due in December 2011. Coming Saturday – Part III, “Snap, crackle, and pop: the realities of placing electromagnetic force close to homes and businesses.” Credits A COUV.COM Production. Video shot by Ed Stortro and Scott Thompson Video edited by Ed Stortro & Jordan Thompson View our part one of this series of interviews with Terry Constance of Another Way BPA and Rep. Ed Orcutt (September 15, 2011): Clark County Today - BPA, Another Way Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no 12:04 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/bpa-another-way http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/bpa-another-way#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:01:50 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=4539 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/bpa-another-way/feed 0 another way BPA,bonneville power administration,BPA,clark county issues,Clark County Today,david madore,ed orcutt,ed stortro,gray line,grey line,jaime herrera beutler,jordan thompson In part one of an exclusive four-part interview, Clark County Today host David Madore speaks with guests Terry Constance, of Another Way BPA, and Washington State Rep. Ed Orcutt, 18th District, (R - Kalama), In part one of an exclusive four-part interview, Clark County Today host David Madore speaks with guests Terry Constance, of Another Way BPA, and Washington State Rep. Ed Orcutt, 18th District, (R - Kalama), regarding their efforts to encourage the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to consider building a proposed 500 KV power line in unpopulated areas in east Clark County, avoiding heavily populated areas – including parts of Vancouver – altogether. For a fuller history on this issue please read our previous Clark County Today post called Planning process continues for potential BPA transmission line. The BPA is seeking to create a “super high voltage highway” in order to send additional power to customers in Oregon and California. In this opening video, Orcutt and Constance explain the difficulty they have had getting consistent answers from BPA representatives regarding which routes they are considering for the massive power line. Orcutt says BPA made no effort to contact him as an elected official about how the proposed project might impact residents living within his jurisdiction, which includes parts of Cowlitz and Clark Counties. He has visited multiple open houses held by BPA, but says BPA officials have done more talking than listening. He describes his ongoing correspondences with the BPA as “deplorable.” Constance and a team of volunteers have gone into the field to map out a route they believe will have the a minimal impact on communities. The BPA’s most discussed route would impact an estimated 13,000 people in Clark County. This opening interview sets the stage for a detailed analysis of this alternative route in Part II. CREDITS Video shot by Ed Stortro and Scott Thompson Video edited by Ed Stortro and Jordan Thompson View our previous video story (July 14, 2011) with Doug Johnson and Mark Korsness of the Bonneville Power Administration, Planning process continues for potential BPA transmission line. Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no 13:26 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/bpa-planning http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/bpa-planning#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:30:09 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=2065 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/bpa-planning/feed 2 BPA,clark county,Clark County Today,electricity,power lines The Bonneville Power Administration is in the planning process for the potential construction of a new electrical transmission line in Southwest Washington. As part of that planning process, the BPA expects to release a draft environmental impact state... The Bonneville Power Administration is in the planning process for the potential construction of a new electrical transmission line in Southwest Washington. As part of that planning process, the BPA expects to release a draft environmental impact statement later this year, so Doug Johnson and Mark Korsness from BPA stopped by couv.com to talk about the planning process in the latest episode of Clark County Today. Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no 1:25:20 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-peterson http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-peterson#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:32:41 +0000 COUV.COM staff http://couv.com/?p=1793 http://couv.com/issues/clark-county-today/cct-peterson/feed 0 Boondoggle,bridge,Clark County Today,columbia river,CRC,david madore,kevin peterson,Light Rail Tolling Project,video Architect Kevin Peterson stopped by COUV.COM to share his transit and transportation planning knowledge in the latest episode of Clark County Today. - Peterson has more than 30 years of experience that includes work on transportation projects the worl... Architect Kevin Peterson stopped by COUV.COM to share his transit and transportation planning knowledge in the latest episode of Clark County Today. Peterson has more than 30 years of experience that includes work on transportation projects the world over, including design and consultation on at least a half-dozen bridge projects and numerous rail transit systems. Locally, Peterson has played a role in the Seattle Sound Transit project, the Downtown Olympia Transit Center, the Westside Corridor Project in Portland and the Pierce Transit Centers in Tacoma. During his examination, Peterson noticed a discrepancy between the airplane glide slope criteria from Pearson Airport used in the bridge plans and the criteria used in more common downtown Vancouver construction projects [to see a COUV.COM profile of Pearson Airport click here].  A glide slope is how much lateral distance is needed for every vertical foot of space an airplane needs to land or take-off. Construction of new buildings or infrastructure cannot interfere with that air space. The bridge plans called for a 1- to 34-foot ratio glide slope, while the more common downtown glide slope calculation is a 1- to 20-foot ratio, according to Peterson. These ratios determine how tall structures can be without disrupting air traffic at Pearson field. The 1- to 34-foot ratio is the most restrictive of the two ratios. Bridge planners also have a ground level restriction to ensure that any bridge plan leaves enough space for trains to pass below on the existing railroad tracks that the new bridge is slated to be built above. The situation, based on the current 1- to 34-foot glide slope ratio included in the bridge plan, created a narrow window within which a new bridge could be positioned as not to interfere with Pearson air traffic above or railroad traffic below. The bridge plan’s ratio glide slope made a stacked bridge design impossible to fit within the cleared space, but if the ratio was too conservative then planners could use the standard 1- to 20-foot glide slope ratio which makes a stacked bridge design possible. That realization led Peterson to conclude that there is a simpler way to build a new I-5 bridge both with a lower cost and a more elegant design. He suggests a two-level straight aligned bridge with dedicated interstate traffic on the upper level and more local shore-to-shore traffic on the lower level - something Peterson calls a collector/distributor model. With the current project proposal*, Peterson said the design is based in a freeway-only mentality, but a stacked bridge option with a collector/distributor mentality would not only satisfy the freeway needs, but also assist local traffic needs. Above all, Peterson said the replacement of the I-5 bridge system is an important opportunity to create a transportation platform that future generations can manipulate to meet their needs – something he sees best accomplished with a straight-aligned stacked bridge design. Peterson's report on collector/distributors:  "How a collector distributor might work" PDF: Download (1.6MB)   A shorter version of the video interview:   * The well-documented cost to taxpayers, if the CRC stays on budget, is $10 billion. This was established by the Cortright Report (PDF) which used data from an independent review panel hired by the governors of Washington and Oregon. (View the panel’s final report.) See our continuing coverage of the Columbia River Crossing Light Rail project. Do you have information to share on the CRC? To respond anonymously call 260-816-1426. To allow your comments to be used on COUV.COM call 260-816-1429. Audio and video stories from Southwest Washington. no 1:21:37