The latest example of incompetent and buck passing behavior regarding the CRC comes in the official reaction to a slap on the hand by the Coast Guard about the height of the bridge.

Local Columbia River Crossing officials say they’re SHOCKED the Coast Guard didn’t tell them the bridge they’ve spent $125 million of our tax dollars planning wouldn’t accommodate, you know, ships and stuff. But a local businessman says he has proof CRC knew EXACTLY what was going on.

Days ago the CRC organization castigated the Coast

Guard in The Columbian for telling them “five years late” that the bridge wasn’t high enough to accommodate ship traffic.

Columbia River Crossing officials fired back at the Coast Guard late Monday, saying the agency failed for five years to mention any concerns about the planned 95-foot clearance under the new Interstate 5 bridge being too low.
The Columbian reported on Friday that the Coast Guard —which must give the go-ahead to bridge plans — told the CRC that plans for the $3.2 billion project included a bridge that won’t allow all ships and cargos to fit underneath.

Now, excuse me, but the height of the bridge is a top of mind issue considering the proximity to Pearson Field and all the attendant questions about it. Addressing the needs of sea going vessels when you’re constructing a bridge, uh, over water and everything should be a concern. 
It was, in short, a jaw dropping reaction considering the information we see over at Couv.com showing that the Coast Guard gave the CRC folks notice a long time ago. In fact, it sent the CRC a letter restating the problem with the height of the proposed bridge. Apparently, the Columbia River Crossing officials in their tax payer purchased $30,000/month office didn’t have time to lazily reach over and grab a letter sent to them by the Coast Guard. See it nearby.

Businessman David Madore, through whose efforts, not to mention money, we’ve found out a whole lot more about the project says this latest chapter is simply DISHONEST on the part of the CRC folks.

Madore writes over at Couv.com: 

We were led to believe that the Coast Guard failed to inform the Columbia River Crossing that the 95 bridge height was unacceptable. We were told the Coast Guard just now changed their mind and that they were negligent to not inform the CRC long ago of the disastrous mistake that will cost taxpayers hundreds of million more in “studies” to go back to the drawing board again.
The attached letter, dated Dec. 7, 2011, from the Coast Guard to Deputy Secretary of Transportation John D. Porcari, is one of evidence that reveals the truth.
Don’t we deserve to know the truth?

 Good question. We pass the baton now to CRC. Well fellas?