C-Tran

It’s been four months since C-Tran inked a contract with TriMet to operate light rail in Vancouver as part of the Columbia River Crossing project. But the controversial deal is still very much on the minds of the CRC’s strongest opponents.
A bill introduced by state Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, takes square aim at a disputed eminent domain clause in the contract. Senate Bill 6125 received a hearing before the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Wednesday.
Benton’s bill is short and to the point. Actually, the entire thing is one paragraph:
“No private property shall be taken or damaged for public or private use that is to be transferred for use or possession by a governmental agency of another state. In the event of conflict between the provisions of this chapter and any other act, the provisions of this chapter shall govern.”
The C-Tran-TriMet contract includes a clause allowing C-Tran’s eminent domain authority to be used for TriMet to acquire property in Washington as part of the proposed Interstate 5 Bridge replacement’s light rail component. Critics have said that amounts to C-Tran ceding its rights to another state. Not so, C-Tran officials say.
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