PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) — A high-speed rail that would link Portland to the Pacific Northwest’s other major cities is one step closer to becoming a reality.
On Wednesday, a group of Washington lawmakers informed residents that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration doled out $49.7 million for the Cascade High-Speed Rail project.
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Sen. Maria Cantwell’s Office said the award will help officials continue developing the proposal, which would offer train service from the Rose City to destinations like Seattle and Vancouver B.C. — at a speed of up to 250 mph.
Cantwell was one of 13 Pacific Northwest lawmakers who asked U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to allocate additional funding toward the project in September.
The letter asserted that the “Cascadia corridor” including Washington, Oregon and British Columbia is expected to welcome four million new residents by 2050. Officials argued that a high-speed rail is essential to accommodating this growth.