You need to get some rest.

While we have concentrated on the financial aspects of this proposal, we need to remember that the relative wisdom of converting Burnside and Couch into a de facto freeway, is pretty shaky.

Who out there, besides PDOT, believes that people's driving behavior - and land use choices - remain constant as the local road system adds more capacity for getting through traffic into/out of congested areas? Look at NE Broadway/Weidler, N Williams/Vancouver, or whatever: This kind of "improvement" gives only a temporary cure to the congestion, until people see the opportunity and change their driving habits to take advantage of it, and planning processes kick in to take advantage of the increased traffic count and redevelop to more automobile-oriented businesses.

In this case, the improvement can only increase capacity between:
(a) I-405 and old town / eastside, where of course the PDC is involved in the east side bridgehead project
(b) I-405 and PGE Park, where of course there's limited parking
(c) Downtown / I-405 and NW 21st/23rd, again where the parking situation is already intolerable
(d) Downtown and W Burnside into the west hills, (as a US-26 alternative when the latter is gridlocked)

I don't see any of these as particully necessary, rather, its just another developer-friendly boondoggle that manages to transfer infrastructure improvement costs onto the public taxpayer.

Sam Adams has some interesting things to say about it over on his blog, commissionersam.com