Governor is bullish on Seattle-Vancouver high-speed rail thanks to a Microsoft-backed study
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is optimistic about creating a high-speed train to connect Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, based on early indicators from a report commissioned by the state and backed by Microsoft.
“I think what this study is going to show is, very much, that there is a great demand for it which frankly is not too surprising when you look, around the world, at the success of these high-speed rails corridors,” Inslee told the B.C. legislature in a speech Tuesday.
The study is a cost-benefit analysis to determine the feasibility of building a high-speed rail line that could transport passengers between the two metros in less than an hour. Inslee said funding the multi-billion dollar project is the biggest hurdle but “there would be a great demand for this,” based on early results from the study. The project is estimated to cost somewhere between $24-$42 billion, according to notes from a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) meeting on the feasibility study last month.
“We’re going to look at this report in detail but we’ve been advised that this is something that could be self-sustaining,” Inslee said.
Despite his optimism, the WSDOT meeting minutes say “economic connections between Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle must be strengthened to make this work” and the current demand is not sufficient to sustain the rail system. But the notes also say the region fits most of the criteria where high-speed rail works best and that advocates for the system have a vision for developing increased connectivity.
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/washington-governor-bullish-seattle-vancouver-high-speed-rail-thanks-microsoft-backed-study/
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