The state of Washington is hoping federal infrastructure funding can pay for $198 million of the $348 million necessary to plan the Cascadia High-Speed Rail project.
Legislators in the state of Washington are applying for $198 million in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act to fund planning work for a proposed 290-mile high-speed rail route connecting Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia, with stops along the way including Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and more.
Mike Lindblom reports that Washington State legislators sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg making the case for the funding.
Plans call for an electric-powered system that would reach top speeds of 250 miles per hour, according to Lindblom. “The Cascadia high-speed corridor would be faster than any trains that currently operate in the United States, though contractors are now building a starter bullet-train line in central California,” according to Lindblom.
The project is still in relatively nascent stages. “So far, proponents haven’t clearly explained where to place dedicated tracks so they’re apart from other trains, motor vehicles and people, allowing 250 mph travel. That’s what a $348 million planning investment is for,” explains Lindblom.
A report on the project, submitted to the Washington State Legislature in June 2023, estimates the total cost of the project at $42 billion in 2017 dollars. However, an independent legislative review also published in June adjusted the estimate to $63 billion in 2023 dollars, based on construction inflation.
FULL STORY: WA Democrats ask Buttigieg for $200M to plan Canada-Seattle-Portland bullet train
Economic Stimulus: Another Chance for High-Speed Rail in the U.S.?
High-speed rail advocates in the Pacific Northwest are pushing for a high-speed link between Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland to be part of future economic stimulus spending in the United States.
Cascadia High Speed Rail Authority Has its First Funding
The state of Washington has allocated funding from its 2019-2021 biennium transportation appropriations bill to study the creation of the Cascadia High Speed Rail Authority.
An Interstate High-Speed Rail Authority on the Legislative Agenda in Washington
A big idea is gaining momentum.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
