February 5 2025
In 1993, the Washington State Legislature and Governor enacted a law that required passenger rail service between Seattle and Portland with a travel time of two hours thirty minutes. The law required further expansion of the service to Vancouver BC and Spokane.
A complete conceptual plan for the entire Vancouver BC – Portland conceptual plan for the program was completed in 2006 with an anticipated completion date of 2018.
In the years since, the Department of Transportation has reduced emphasis on passenger rail improvements and reduced the expectations for future expansion.
Extensive effort by the Rail Can’t Wait coalition has resulted in bills in the Washington State House and Senate reestablishing the 1993 goals, the essential first step to developing the Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service that western Washington needs.
Please see today’s press release
Watch for future posts describing what you can do to help support the program and goal.