According to a new report, ultra-high-speed ground transportation between Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, and Portland would allow passengers to travel between each city in less than an hour.
The Governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, says the study’s findings “provide even greater confidence that ultra-high-speed ground transportation in the Pacific Northwest is worth the investment.”
The Washington State Department of Transportation study’s analysis is the result of a collaboration between Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Microsoft.
Governor Inslee and the Washington State legislature requested the study the be conducted.
In the study’s final report, Inslee says the high-speed rail would “unite us in our common goals related to economic development, shared resources, affordable housing, new jobs, tourism, multimodal connections, and increased collaboration.”
Officials have said they are hoping to have the ultra-high-speed trains running by 2035 if everything goes as planned.
Here are the conclusions of the Washington State Department of Transportation study:
The ultra-high-speed ground transportation (UHSGT) would transport over 3 million passengers a year and generate $165 million in revenues after the first few years.
Intermediary stops will be added in Surrey, Bellingham, Everett, Tacoma, Olympia, Kelso/Longview, and others — the added stops will have minor time penalties.
UHSGT would help to drastically reduce greenhouse gases from the economy.
You can read more about the report here.