High-speed light rail may finally be coming to the Pacific Northwest.
News broke this week that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is providing a $49.7 million grant to help plan the Cascadia High-Speed Rail project. The Washington Legislature will also contribute $5.5 million in funds towards the effort. The Pacific Northwest (also known as the Cascadia region) would be serviced by trains running up at speeds as fast as 250 mph. This high-speed rail would connect Seattle with Portland and Vancouver, B.C.
According to Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who was part of the team of lawmakers pursuing the funding, “The I-5 corridor is the backbone of Western Washington’s transportation system, yet a recent study found that Seattle is the second most congested city in the nation.”
In a joint news release this week, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and British Columbia Premier David Eby called this federal grant the “first significant investment” in the Cascadia High-Speed Rail project.
There have been efforts in the past to get the ball rolling. Washington State completed a high-speed rail study in 2020 and then created the Cascadia High Speed Rail & I-5 Program Plan in 2023.
Currently, the Amtrak Cascades line runs along a route that is very similar to the one proposed for the Cascadia High-Speed Rail. Unfortunately it is plagued by delays and limited by slower speeds. If the high-speed rail were to come to fruition, it would most likely run on a new set of tracks built exclusively for that purpose.
Note that this funding is intended only for planning purposes, such as determining the best route. It will probably still be some time before construction actually begins on high-speed rail in the PNW. Nevertheless, we’re excited about this important step forward!