Federal gov. approves $50 million to start PNW high speed rail. Here’s what it means for WA

BELLINGHAM – The Federal Railroad Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation, has awarded $49.7 to support the proposed high-speed train across the Pacific Northwest, a group of Washington legislators announced in a news release on Wednesday.

The long-discussed rail project would provide train service between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, British Columbia, at speeds reaching 250 miles per hour. In the release, state legislators said passengers would be able to travel between Seattle and Portland in under an hour.

“The Cascadia corridor is home to 10 million people and growing–bringing high speed rail speed to the region will be transformative, allowing Washingtonians to travel much faster and more easily between Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, and communities in between,” Sen. Patty Murray stated in the release.

Will Cascadia High-Speed Rail be ready soon?

While the award is a boon for the project, it will only cover the planning phase.

“This federal award is an important step forward for the Cascadia High-Speed Rail project and will support critical planning, community engagement, and initial design activities,” Murray stated.

Still, a Washington State Department of Transportation spokesperson said the funding will go a long way towards making the project a reality.

“I think it gives it a strong likelihood, as long as the programs continue to be supported, and there’s a lot of support,” WSDOT Cascadia High-Speed Rail and Interstate 5 Program Administrator Ron Pate told McClatchy in a phone call.

What’s next for Washington’s new train?

According to the news release, the money from the award will be used to determine the best route for the railroad, identify long-term construction projects that it would require and fund community outreach efforts. Officials will now begin working with residents of the region, including tribes, to come up with a plan for the high-speed rail.

“This funding will enable the state to work with locals to develop the best possible high-speed passenger rail route and someday give Washingtonians the option to skip the highway and reach their destination faster,” Sen. Cantwell stated in the release.

According to DOT’s Pate, the funding will allow the project to move to its second phase.

“First, we were awarded in the (Corridor Identification and Development) program, $500,000 to work through step one. And in Step 1, you develop the scope, schedule and budget to do the service development plan, to really look at how this system would function in two countries and two states,” Pate said.

With the new funding, Pate said the team working on the project can start developing the plan itself.

“The service development plan work can start now, we’ve obligated those funds,” Pate said. “So our team is getting ready to go right after the first of the year to start doing a project management plan for that, and then work through the tasks that FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) has required for a service development plan.”

While Pate said there isn’t a set timeline for the project as a whole, he estimates that this next step will take four to five years.

Where would Washington’s high-speed rail stop?

While the goal of the project is to connect the Portland, Seattle and Vancouver metropolitan areas, it would also include “points between and beyond,” according to WSDOT. Cascadia Rail, a nonprofit that advocates for the project, mentions potential stops in Kelso, Centralia, Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, Mount Vernon and Bellingham in its preliminary map of the project.

In the meantime, there are other train options in the region, though they don’t run as quickly or go as far.

Amtrak Cascades features six stops between Portland and Seattle – Vancouver, Kelso-Longview, Centralia, Olympia-Lacey, Tacoma and Tukwila. It also stops in Edmonds, Everett, Stanwood, Mount Vernon and Bellingham on the way to British Columbia. The high-speed rail would presumably have fewer stops in order to ensure faster travel speeds, although some of those areas will likely see stops as well.

Commuter train Sound Transit features 12 Sounder light rail stops between Everett and Lakewood, including Seattle, Puyallup and Tacoma.

What are potential impacts of a new train?

In addition to making travel more convenient, proponents of the project argue that it would increase economic activity and travel across different parts of the Pacific Northwest, while reducing carbon emissions and traffic along I-5.

“Connecting the Cascadia region with modern, efficient transportation will create jobs, boost economic growth, and reduce emissions, all while making travel faster and more convenient,” Congresswoman Suzan DelBene stated in the news release.

A 2019 WSDOT analysis estimated the rail line would serve between 1.7 and 3.1 million riders a year once it opens, while creating $355 in economic growth for the region in the long run and reducing carbon emissions by 6 million metric tons in its first four decades.

According to reporting in the Urbanist, polling indicates that the project has relatively widespread support although it does have some opponents who are worried about its cost.