State gets cash from feds for high-speed rail

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell were excited last week, when the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Washington state will be receiving $590 million in Recovery Act funds to invest in high-speed rail improvements.

“Creating a more efficient passenger rail system is a win, win, win for Washington state,” said Rep. Larsen. “It will create jobs, improve commuting for hard-working Washingtonians, and help get our state’s economy moving again.”

Cantwell agreed.

“The high-speed rail project is huge for Washington state and will provide tremendous short- and longterm economic stimulus to our region while generating approximately 6,500 familywage jobs,” Cantwell said.

The high-speed railway will promote economic development up and down the I-5 corridor, she said.

The project, called The Pacific Northwest Corridor, will reduce road congestion and pollution, improve trade, and promote tourism, eventually linking Eugene and Vancouver, B.C. via Seattle by high-speed rail.

The $590 million in funding will be used by the Washington State Department of Transportation to clear the way for adding two additional daily round trips on the Seattle-to-Portland segment, for a total of six.

Rail improvements will reduce travel time by at least 5 percent, and improve ontime performance from 62 to 88 percent.

This is vitally important for the movement of passengers and goods, making the Pacific Northwest an even more vibrant economic area, Cantwell said.

A member of the House Transportation Committee, Larsen worked closely with the state congressional delegation and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to help secure these funds.

The $590 million will be used to upgrade 437 miles of railroad tracks with the intent of improving rail travel times between Blaine and Portland and to reach the long-term goal of using high-speed rail to reduce car and air travel. The project will create as many as 6,500 jobs in construction and engineering.

“Our state is committed to investing in Amtrak. We have the population to support high-speed rail. And we have congestion problems to justify the investment,” Larsen said.