[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 35 (Thursday, March 3, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S1282]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 387--CONGRATULATING THE HISTORIC COLUMBIA RIVER 
                       HIGHWAY ON ITS 100TH YEAR

  Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. Merkley) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works:

                              S. Res. 387

       Whereas June 7, 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the 
     Historic Columbia River Highway, a 75-mile-long scenic 
     highway designed by Samuel C. Lancaster that runs through the 
     Columbia River Gorge between Troutdale and The Dalles, 
     Oregon;
       Whereas the Historic Columbia River Highway, the first 
     scenic highway in the United States and the first modern 
     highway in the Pacific Northwest, is a National Historic 
     Landmark;
       Whereas Samuel C. Lancaster wrote that, when engineering 
     the Historic Columbia River Highway, Lancaster aimed ``to 
     find . . . the points where the most beautiful things along 
     the line might be seen to the best advantage, and if possible 
     to locate the road in such a way as to reach them'';
       Whereas the Historic Columbia River Highway is an 
     engineering masterpiece that successfully used innovative 
     engineering techniques to complement the magnificent natural 
     landscape of the Columbia River Gorge;
       Whereas the Historic Columbia River Highway showcases all 
     aspects of the rich and diverse natural landscape of Oregon, 
     including Multnomah Falls, the fourth-largest waterfall in 
     the United States;
       Whereas the construction of a water-level route through the 
     Columbia River Gorge, now Interstate 84, destroyed many 
     sections of the Historic Columbia River Highway;
       Whereas, in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area 
     Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-663; 100 Stat. 4274), Congress 
     directed the Oregon Department of Transportation to prepare a 
     program to preserve and restore the Historic Columbia River 
     Highway for public use as a historic road;
       Whereas the State of Oregon is working to connect intact 
     and usable highway segments with recreation trails, where 
     feasible, to create a continuous historic road route through 
     the Columbia River Gorge that links local, State, and Federal 
     recreation facilities; and
       Whereas the continued preservation and restoration of the 
     Historic Columbia River Highway will provide greater access 
     to the Columbia River Gorge for recreation and tourism, which 
     will help to boost the economies of the region: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the Historic Columbia River Highway on 
     its 100th year;
       (2) recognizes the cultural, economic, and environmental 
     importance of the Historic Columbia River Highway;
       (3) expresses support for the continued success of the 
     restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway; and
       (4) requests that the Secretary of the Senate prepare an 
     official copy of this resolution for presentation to Senator 
     Wyden, Senator Merkley, and Kevin Gorman of Friends of the 
     Columbia Gorge.

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