Task Force

The 39-member Task Force met 23 times between February 2005 and June 2008 to advise the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Washington State Department of Transportation on project related issues and concerns. The final action of the Task Force was to make a recommendation on the Locally Preferred Alternative.

The Task Force was composed of 39 leaders from a broad cross section of Washington and Oregon communities. Public agencies, businesses, civic organizations, neighborhoods and freight, commuter and environmental groups were represented on the Task Force.

Task Force Co-Chairs

Hal Dengerink, Chancellor, Washington State University, Vancouver
Henry Hewitt, Past Chair, Oregon Transportation Commission

Public Agencies

Commissioner Sam Adams, City of Portland
Mike Bennett, City of Gresham
Councilor Rex Burkholder, Metro
Jeff Cogen, Multnomah County
Jeff Hamm, C-TRAN
Fred Hansen, TriMet
Dennis Osborn, City of Battle Ground
Dean Lookingbill, Southwest Regional Transportation Council
Larry Paulson, Port of Vancouver
Mayor Royce Pollard, City of Vancouver
Commissioner Steve Stuart, Clark County
Tom Imeson, Port of Portland

Environmental Organizations

Lora Caine, Friends of Clark County, Southwest Washington
Jill Fuglister, Coalition for a Livable Future, Oregon

Neighborhood Associations

Dave Frei, Arnada Neighborhood Association, Southwest Washington
Brad Halverson, Overlook Neighborhood Association, Portland
Dick Malin, Central Park Neighborhood Association,
Southwest Washington
Walter Valenta, Bridgeton Neighborhood Association, Portland

Trucking Industry Organizations

Bob Russell, Oregon Trucking Association
Larry Pursley, Washington Trucking Association

Chambers of Commerce and Portland Business-Based Organizations

Rich Brown, Bank of America, Portland
Ed Lynch, Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce
Grant Armbruster, Portland Business Alliance
Scot Walstra, NW Natural Gas, Vancouver (appt. by Greater
Vancouver Chamber)

Local Economic Organizations

Bob Byrd, Identity Clark County
Monica Isbell, Starboard Alliance Company, LLC, Portland
Bart Phillips, Columbia River Economic Development
Council, Vancouver
Jonathan Schleuter, Westside Economic Alliance, Portland

Community Organizations

Dave Tischer, Columbia Pacific Building Trades
Elson Strahan, Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust
Jeri Sundvall-Williams, Environmental Justice Action Group
Bob Knight, Clark College

Statewide Commuter/Travel Organizations

Marie Dodds, AAA Oregon/Idaho
Dave Overstreet, AAA Washington

Statewide Freight Organizations

Jerry Grossnickle, Columbia River Towboat Association
Karen Schmidt, Washington Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board
Tom Zelenka, Oregon Freight Advisory Committee