Pacific NW States to Study Regional High-Speed Rail
High-speed rail from Vancouver to Portland is one step closer to reality.
The province of British Columbia and the states of Washington and Oregon have agreed to support a $1.2 million feasibility study on the Cascadia Rail project, which would connect Vancouver to Seattle before splitting into branches to Portland and Spokane.
At the annual Pacific Coast Collaborative conference, Washington Governor Inslee and BC Premier Horgan touted the economic opportunities promised by the "ultra-high-speed corridor," which they said could offer a one-hour trip between Vancouver and Seattle.
Moreover, Vancouver officials unveiled a $7 billion CAD plan to complete Phase Two of a 10-year vision for regional transportation, which includes expansion of SkyTrain, a new light rail line, and other major projects, and could break ground in 2019. The vision includes extending the SkyTrain Millennium Line underground following the route of the Route 99 B along Broadway, which The Urbanist reports is the busiest bus line in North America.
The ambitious plan represents "an amazing turn of events given the failure of the 2015 Transit Referendum that lost in a landslide amidst disagreement among many in the regional Mayors’ Council about priorities," according to The Urbanist's Stephen Fesler.
Topics
- 4 Predictions for Urban Planning Post-Coronavirus
- Cities Are Suddenly a Little Less Car-Centric
- NACTO Releases Pandemic Streets Design Guide
- 'Ramps to Nowhere' Will Come Down in Seattle as New Debates Heat Up
- Louisiana Coast Will Disappear, Study Says. The Only Question Is How Soon.
- California's Population Might Be Peaking
- History in the Making: BART Extension into San Jose Ready for June Opening
- Popularity of Opportunity Zone Program Grows During the Pandemic
- Proposed Mass Timber High-Rise In Seattle Adds Six Stories
- Electric Bike Sales Explode as Cities Rethink Streetscapes
- Toronto's Expanded its Bike Infrastructure Network to Run Parallel to Transit Lines
- 20 Is Plenty in D.C., Starting Today
- Reopening California: Respected County Health Official Issues Warning
- Guide to Planning for Public Health, Published by WHO and the UN
- Natural Gas Leaks Responsible for the Death of Trees in Urban Areas, According to a New Study
- Dallas Eyes Big Property Tax Increase to Cover COVID-19 Losses
- Mothballed Rental Car Fleets Fill Stadium Parking Lots
- The Legacy of Redlining Made Clear by the Coronavirus
- Permeable Pavements Required for Parking, Sidewalks in New Orleans
- Tight Housing Market Could Prime Economic Recovery
