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RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION SETTING FORTH THE POSITION
OF THE CITY OF PASCO IN REFERENCE TO THE
U. S. COAST GUARD PROPOSED NAVIGATION
CLEARANCE STANDARD REVISIONS FOR THE
COLUMBIA RIVER.
WHEREAS, navigation clearance requirements have always been administered via
public concensus , and
WHEREAS, the Cities of Pasco and Kennewick and the Counties of Benton and
Franklin have been working cooperatively and intensively on a project
(now well under way) for a new bridge structure and up -grading of the
Pasco -Kennewick bridge crossing the Columbia River at the present cros-
sing site, and
WHEREAS, the two highway bridges between Pasco and Kennewick both provide
more than 50 -ft. vertical clearance over flood height and more than 50 -ft. over the
normal water, and
WHEREAS, existing clearances are not impeding now, and are not considered to be
impeding future barge and tugboat traffic that the Columbia River may have
in the foreseeable future, and
WHEREAS, all preliminary studies, agreements by various entities as to funding,
and application for funds submitted to the Urban Arterial Board have all
been on the basis of the 50 -ft. clearance height, and
WHEREAS, the present standard is documented in existing structures, for all of
those have been built in accordance with U. S. Corps of Engineers (who
managed the Columbia River navigation matters until 1967) navigation
clearance permits, and
WHEREAS, in 1967 the study and report on navigation, Colubia River and Tribu-
taries, expressed no concern about a foreseeable need to alter bridge
heights on the Columbia River to accommodate the forecast navigation
vessel height, and
WHEREAS, the Cities of Pasco and Kennewick and Counties of Benton and Franklin
have adopted the lowest cost, austerity program for reconstruction of the
old bridge, the new construction calling for 53 -ft. (3 -ft. heigher than the
existing bridge), and
WHEREAS, all barges and tugs can pass under the proposed height and to our
knowledge no barges or tugs of larger structure are proposed to be con-
structed in the foreseeable future, and
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WHEREAS, the additional 10 -ft. height requirement would not allow the use of
the existing piers on the present bridge, and
WHEREAS, the proposed additional 10 -ft, vertical clearance height would add
an increased cost of $4,500,000.00 to the over-all project, NOW,
THEREFORE,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASCO DO RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1 . The City of Pasco wishes it to be understood by all, that the
City is in no way objecting to river navigation; in fact, the City of Pasco encour-
ages present and future river navigation.
Section 2. The City of Pasco does object to the Coast Guard proposed
navigation clearance standard revisions for the Columbia River for the following
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reasons:
1) Necessary clearance height for Columbia River Crossings
were established by a study by the U. S. Corps of Engineers
in 1967.
2) Their study of 1967 did not express a need for the additional
ten feet (10') for the Pasco -Kennewick Bridge.
3) This regulation would not benefit the communities along the
banks of the Columbia River, including Pasco and Kennewick and
the Counties of Benton and Franklin.
Section 3. The additional 10 -ft. should not be considered unless there
would be benefit to the public, and those benefits should be clearly and specific-
ally defined.
Section 4. If the U. S. Coast Guard, after evaluation of material pre-
sented at the Hearing of August 13th, decides for the 10 -ft. additional clearance
requirement, then those parties involved in the proposed change should contri-
bute the cost of the replacement of the Pasco -Kennewick Bridge.
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Section S. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect after approval
and passage as required by law.
PASSED by the City Council and APPROVED by the Mayor this _Z&Lday
of leg 7' 1969.
Att � A
c
Cliffg{d DaVgler, Uity Clerk
Approved as to form-
42L��� X
D. Wayne Cardpbell, City A torney
G. E. "Ed" Carter, Mayor
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