Connecting Our Region to a Sustainable Future

The Cascadia region — anchored by the cities of Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, and Portland — is a true mega-region: sharing an ecosystem unrivaled in beauty, proximity to Asia and Pacific markets, and world-class innovation in leading economic sectors.

Yet, growth projections for Cascadia are startling. We expect nearly 4 million more people to move to the region by 2050. If we don’t act now to accommodate this growth, our current problems — traffic congestion, housing affordability, and increasing climate change — will only get worse.

We need to move fast and embrace big, bold ideas that will prepare us for the continued growth to come. Ultra-high-speed rail can be a part of the solution. By literally creating better connections between the anchor cities of Vancouver B.C., Seattle, and Portland (and beyond) and the communities in between, we can catalyze innovation, shared prosperity, and job creation, and help the region to sustain its unique quality of life for future generations.

Benefits: Faster Trips, Opportunity, Equity, and Sustainability

High-speed rail is a uniquely integrative solution that will:

• Cut travel times dramatically and better connect Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Portland, and the communities in between
• Provide a new travel option to driving on Interstate 5 and connect to local transit
• Address climate change and improve air quality by reducing reliance on car and air travel
• Connect people to good-paying jobs and more affordable housing, making our region more equitable
• Create 200,000 new jobs in the region

Capitalizing on Infrastructure Investment

For more than five years, a broad group of stakeholders and the states of Oregon and Washington, along with the Province of British Columbia, have been collaborating on a vision of ultra-high-speed ground transportation in the Cascadia region. Washington state has committed funding to serve as a match for federal funds. To make that vision a reality, funding from the federal government is critical. Other regions of the country are developing high-speed rail corridors, and Cascadia has taken the critical first steps, but we need state and federal support now for the United States section.

The U.S. government is providing billions in infrastructure funding for projects like this. We can use federal funding to pay for part of the high-speed rail project — capturing the Pacific Northwest’s fair share.

Please urge your representatives to support recognition and federal funding for the Cascadia high-speed rail project as it moves into its next phase.

Tell your state and federal legislators to support recognition and funding for the Cascadia High-Speed Rail project. Click below to make your voice heard today.