PNWER RIA Biennial Update
PNWER launched the first multi-state, USDOT Build America Bureau-funded Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) in early 2022 as one of five RIAs across the nation. Serving multi-modal project sponsors across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington state, the PNWER RIA program is unique in its ability to blend public and private perspectives, and bring innovative solutions to some of our region’s toughest infrastructure challenges. As our work under the first RIA grant concludes and our expanded RIA program matures and develops, we felt like this was the perfect time to reflect on three years of program experience, expertise, and lessons learned.
We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done to date. From workshops to webinars and in-person presentations to individual outreach, the PNWER RIA program has become a regionally-recognized source of information and technical assistance. Additionally, our team has developed deep subject matter expertise on complex challenges from restoring passenger rail service to rural communities to ensuring adequate refueling systems are in place to support zero-emission freight networks.
In the early days of the program, Build America Bureau (Bureau) leadership expressed their desire to see the RIAs become a “field office” for the Bureau, and a gateway to other USDOT programs. Our team has taken this directive to heart. We balance no-cost, direct technical assistance to specific projects with our education and outreach initiatives aimed at increasing our whole region’s understanding of ways to leverage innovative finance tools for infrastructure development.
As a “non-delivery entity,” the PNWER RIA program brings unique value to the Bureau and to our five-state region. PNWER’s 30-year history of solutions-focused convening, non-partisanship, and blending of public and private sector perspectives provides the foundation for this work. Building on this history, the PNWER RIA team provides a neutral, third-party perspective to complex and politically sensitive projects, helping to move the needle on project progress by breaking down communication silos and finding common ground for future cooperation.
Below is the text from our Biennial Update, providing a high-level overview of the PNWER RIA program’s accomplishments, initiatives, and ongoing efforts to advance critical transportation infrastructure projects across the Pacific Northwest. We've done our best to be thorough, but this is just a small snapshot of the work done behind the scenes to accelerate these regionally significant projects.
None of this could have been accomplished without our broader team of experts, partners, subrecipients, contractors, and dedicated stakeholders. Looking forward, we have several events and opportunities over the next year (and beyond) to coordinate, expand, and continue growing the PNWER RIA program, and we’re excited to grow our list of partners too. Happy reading!
About PNWER
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) is a statutory public/private non-profit created in 1991 by the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories. PNWER’s mission is to advance regional collaboration and economic well-being of the 10 member jurisdictions.
About the PNWER RIA
The Pacific Northwest Economic Region Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) is a U.S. Department of Transportation Build America Bureau funded grant program that helps accelerate infrastructure projects towards construction by providing technical assistance on innovative finance solutions to pay for critical projects. The PNWER RIA serves as a convener for transportation projects in the Pacific Northwest, with specific focus on multi-state and multi-jurisdictional initiatives that ease supply chain disruptions, reduce transportation-related pollution and increase economic and environmental justice, especially for historically underserved communities.
PNWER RIA Team
Consultants
Cheryl E Jones Consulting
Columbia Strategic Consulting Group
Ikehu Consulting (2022 - 2023)
Indigenous Resilience
Nessle & Blakey
Subrecipient Organizations (2024 - 2026)
Alaska Municipal League | AK
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority | MT
Local Highway Technical Assistance Council | ID
Valley Regional Transit | ID
Major Accomplishments Timeline
PNWER RIA Program A: 2022 - 2024
PNWER RIA Launches with Focus on WA Supply Chains
In 2021, PNWER was awarded a $1.25 million grant and designated as the first multi-state Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) in the nation by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau. The PNWER RIA launched in full force in early 2022 with a focus on three main projects: decarbonizing drayage vehicles at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, identifying innovative financing for a highway-rail grade separation project in Spokane Valley, Washington, and the creation Build Northwest Center of Excellence to serve as a regional resource on innovative financing solutions.
Raising Visibility of TIFIA and RRIF - Build Northwest Center of Excellence
The PNWER RIA program led workshops and coordinated information sessions about innovative financing tools, with an emphasis on the Build America Bureau’s TIFIA and RRIF loan programs. Serving as a field office for the Bureau, the PNWER RIA is well positioned to collect information from communities on what’s working – and what’s not – when it comes to using TIFIA and RRIF loans for infrastructure projects. Building on these lessons, the PNWER RIA is finalizing a Congressional white paper that outlines the strengths and weaknesses of the programs, and how they can be reformed to better meet the needs of project sponsors.
Under this initiative, the PNWER RIA hosted a RRIF Informational Webinar in September 2022, including program changes, eligible projects and case studies of RRIF-awarded projects. The webinar included insight from Bureau staff, who highlighted program goals and the differences between RRIF and RRIF express programs. Testimonials from the Port of Everett, Amtrak and Columbia Strategic Consulting Group underscored best practices and lessons learned from using RRIF financing to fund critical rail projects.
High Performance Rail
Pines Road Grade Separation
In 2022, the PNWER RIA provided technical assistance to the City of Spokane Valley for its 2022 RAISE grant application to address the Pines Road highway-rail at-grade crossing. The City applied and was unsuccessful for five previous RAISE/BUILD applications between 2017-2021. The PNWER RIA team supported the City’s successful 2022 grant application, which resulted in $21 million awarded to the project. Additionally, the PNWER RIA team worked with Washington state’s Freight Mobility and Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB) to reprioritize the project and make it re-eligible for state funding. Now fully-funded, this multimodal highway/rail grade separation improvement initiative will save hours of vehicle wait time, improve emergency response capability, increase safety at the crossing and increase reliability of freight and passenger trains along the corridor.
Greater Northwest Passenger Rail Summit
The 2022 Greater Northwest Passenger Rail Summit brought passenger railroad organizations, advocates, and enthusiasts together with local, state, and federal elected officials and policymakers, host railroads, and rail infrastructure experts to educate, innovate and coordinate for the enhancement of passenger rail service across the Greater Northwest. PNWER RIA Director Bruce Agnew was a panelist and participant in the summit, providing a region-wide perspective on passenger rail infrastructure improvements.
In 2023, the PNWER RIA program co-hosted the Greater Northwest Passenger Rail Summit in Boise, Idaho, with the City of Boise. The event featured joint programming with the 2023 PNWER Annual Summit, enabling over 550 policymakers and business leaders to participate in conversations aimed toward restoring a true national network for passenger rail that includes service to the largely underserved region.
PNWER RIA Director presents during an ‘Economic Impacts & Benefits’ panel during the 2021 Rail Summit
Attendees gather at the Boise Depot during the 2022 Rail Summit
Drayage Decarbonization
Upon its establishment in 2022, the PNWER RIA began a project to accelerate the decarbonization of drayage vehicles operated at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. This initiative, guided by Washington state and Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) emission reduction goals, aims to identify funding and financing for zero-emission drayage vehicles and the infrastructure needed to fuel them, including how TIFIA can fit into broader financing packages.
The PNWER RIA program was instrumental in understanding and promoting how to navigate the zero-emission commercial vehicle transition in the region, working with Trucking-as-a-Service providers and other partners to integrate innovative finance solutions with private sector investment.
Event Highlight: Paying for EVs in Washington State
The PNWER RIA hosted its first in person event in April 2023, convening leaders, experts and stakeholders to discuss how various sectors are preparing for the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
This event built upon a partnership with the Northwest Seaport Alliance to accelerate the transition to zero-emission drayage vehicles operated at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. The PNWER RIA has been an active participant in the Puget Sound Zero-Emission Truck Collaborative, which began meeting in 2023 and continues work to develop a zero-emissions roadmap to outline an equitable transition to zero-emission technology by 2050.
Designing Washington’s Commercial ZE Vehicle Incentive Program
Building off of previous drayage decarbonization work, the PNWER RIA was selected by CALSTART to conduct state-wide public and private sector stakeholder engagement to design Washington’s new zero-emission commercial vehicle incentive program. Over the course of the study, the PNWER RIA team conducted over 40 focus groups, interviews and agency meetings, ensuring stakeholder input sufficiently informed the design of the incentive program structure.
Federal Engagement
Communicating on-the-ground lessons from the Pacific Northwest back to Washington D.C. is a critical component of the PNWER RIA’s role as a Build America Bureau field office. The team meets regularly with key leaders at DOT and with members of PNWER’s five-state, bi-partisan Congressional Delegation to provide program updates, discuss projects, and troubleshoot ongoing challenges with project delivery. From 2022-2024, the PNWER RIA participated in:
PNWER RIA Program B Project Map
Zero-Emission Commercial Corridors
Umpqua Indian Development Corporation ZEV Commercial Refueling Facility | OR
St. Regis Zero-Emission Refueling | MT
High Performance Rail
Cascades Corridor Rail and Port Investment Strategy | WA & OR
Small Parcel Delivery Study | MT
Rural Rail Community Outreach | MT
Regional Rail Working Group | WA, OR, ID, MT
Boise Cut-Off Feasibility Analysis | ID
Build Northwest Center of Excellence
TIFIA Action Plan for Alaska | AK
Legislator Outreach & Education | AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Project Sponsor Educational Workshops | AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Technical Assistance Webinars | AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Critical Connections
Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement | WA & OR
Yakutat Transportation Infrastructure | AK
College of Western Idaho Housing & Transit Joint Development | ID
Canyon County Feasibility Analysis | ID
PNWER RIA Program B: 2024 - 2026
PNWER Awarded Second RIA Grant
In October 2023, PNWER was awarded a second, $2 million grant from USDOT to expand its presence to all five PNWER states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Now one of 24 accelerator programs in the nation, the PNWER RIA remains the only one of its kind, setting a precedent for how multi-state approaches to infrastructure investment can enhance a region’s transportation network.
The second cycle of the PNWER RIA focuses on four main program areas: The Build Northwest Center of Excellence, High Performance Rail, Zero-Emissions Commercial Corridors and Critical Connections. Taken together, these program areas enable the PNWER RIA to enhance resilient supply chains, connect more communities and advance innovative transportation technologies.
Build Northwest Center of Excellence
The Build Northwest Center of Excellence (Build Northwest) is the PNWER RIA’s overarching platform for outreach and community engagement work, offering educational initiatives on innovative financing tools to project sponsors, legislators, and communities.
Build Northwest Advisory Council
The Build Northwest Advisory Council is led by legislative energy and transportation committee leadership of the five states in partnership with private sector engineering, finance, transportation and energy leaders. The council is designed to blend public and private sector input in shaping the PNWER RIA’s project pipeline and long-term vision for Build Northwest. Formation of the council began in 2024 and will continue as the PNWER RIA team works to expand council membership.
Project Spotlight: TIFIA Action Plan for Alaska
AML’s Erin Reinders presents with the PNWER RIA team at the Economic Leadership Forum in Anchorage, AK
The PNWER RIA, through Build Northwest, is partnering with Alaska Municipal League to develop a TIFIA and RRIF action plan for Alaska that will help communities and project sponsors identify, understand and navigate best-fit financing solutions for critical infrastructure projects. When completed, the action plan will enable Alaska’s local governments to better understand federal financing programs, and how they can employ them to move projects forward. Early design of the action plan was formed by participants of the 2023 Alaska Municipal League Annual Conference, who provided valuable suggestions on outreach strategies, milestones and next steps for implementation. The interactive session received extremely positive feedback, with nearly all participants having learned new information about project eligibility, USDOT programs and funding opportunities.
High Performance Rail
The High Performance Rail program area encapsulates the PNWER RIA’s multi-stakeholder approach to rail. High Performance Rail identifies, evaluates and pursues multiple rail improvement projects that, when bundled, will significantly reduce passenger train delays and improve freight velocity along major northwest rail corridors.
Partner Spotlight: Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) is a Montana-based regional rail authority and subdivision of the Montana state government focused on supporting existing freight and passenger options and expanding passenger rail. The PNWER RIA team works closely with BSPRA on its efforts to revitalize the Big Sky North Coast Corridor from Chicago to Seattle via southern Montana, including conducting community engagement within rural communities along the corridor. Learn more about BSPRA at www.bigskyrail.org.
Event Highlight: Greater Northwest Rail Summit
In October 2024, the PNWER RIA teamed up with All Aboard Northwest to host the third annual Greater Northwest Rail Summit in Spokane, WA. The event convened over 150 policymakers, rail industry leaders and advocates to discuss opportunities for collaboration and investment in the region’s freight and passenger rail network. Sessions highlighted the multitude of sectors that rely on rail service, including ports, logistics and agriculture, and how the system can be enhanced to better serve supply chains. Panelists also showcased the powerful role passenger rail plays in creating vibrant economies and connecting communities to opportunities, resources and each other.
Zero-Emission Commercial Corridors
The zero-emission commercial refueling corridor initiative plans for refueling infrastructure that will serve medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles. This approach is technology-neutral and considers battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and other alternative fuel technologies. The PNWER RIA works with Northwest Tribes, legislators and industry leaders to accelerate systems integration of transportation networks with existing and proposed clean energy facilities for the decarbonization of our region’s commercial transportation sector.
Project Spotlight: UIDC Commercial Refueling Truck Stop
The PNWER RIA, with assistance from Tribal consultants at Indigenous Resilience, is working closely with the Umpqua Indian Development Corporation (UIDC) to analyze funding opportunities to deploy EV charging infrastructure at a truck stop in Canyonville, OR. In 2023, the UIDC was awarded a $241,000 technical assistance grant from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to support research and planning efforts for future medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission charging construction at a tribally-owned truck stop. This project will not only aid in achieving Oregon’s decarbonization goals, but also will address a lack of commercial truck parking along Interstate-5. The PNWER RIA team has been in regular contact with the UIDC team, Oregon Department of Transportation and Indigenous Resilience to identify ways to integrate federal funding and financing into the project. When complete, the UIDC truck stop and charging facility will serve as a model for other Tribally-owned truck stops along our region’s transportation corridors.
Event Highlight: GTSE Legislator Orientation
In August 2024, the PNWER RIA program team hosted a legislator orientation on green transportation at the Green Transportation Summit and Expo in Tacoma, WA. The orientation, ‘Green Transportation 101', was designed to educate policymakers and industry representatives on the basics of making the transition to medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) zero-emission vehicles, including an overview of today’s technologies (vehicles and infrastructure), and what roadblocks exist in making the switch. Modeled in part after PNWER’s Legislative Energy Horizon Institute, the orientation equipped elected officials with basic information needed to make informed policy decisions related to zero-emission MHD equipment on Washington’s roads.
Critical Connections
The Critical Connections initiative supports the upgrade and enhancement of connective infrastructure, such as bridges, ports, airports and ferry systems that provide critical access to communities - especially those in rural and Tribal jurisdictions.
Project Spotlight: Hood River-White Salmon Bridge
The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge connects the communities of Hood River, OR, and White Salmon, WA, and is a critical link for agricultural commerce to reach seaports, and for residents to access work, childcare, school and medical services. The bridge – named one of the nation’s most economically significant by USDOT – has reached the end of its serviceable life and is in dire need of replacement.
In June 2023, the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority reached out to the PNWER RIA team for resources on how to move forward with TIFIA. The RIA team provided a collection of resources to the authority, which subsequently submitted its letter of interest for a TIFIA loan in June 2024. The PNWER RIA team continues to work closely with the Bridge Authority as it seeks state matching funds from OR and WA. The RIA team will leverage its network with state policymakers to raise visibility of the project and emphasize the importance of replacing this critical bridge.
Upcoming Events
March
Innovative Financing Workshop (Co-hosted with Build America Bureau)
Seattle, Washington
July
PNWER Annual Summit
Bellevue, Washington
October
Greater Northwest Rail Summit
Portland, Oregon
Stay Connected!
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