PNWER Regional Infrastructure Accelerator celebrates Amtrak Corridor ID funding, commemorates beginning of passenger rail network
WASHINGTON (Dec. 8, 2023) – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced Dec. 8 the selection of four Pacific Northwest Amtrak route projects to receive an initial $500,000 planning grant through the Corridor Identification and Development Program (Corridor ID Program). The comprehensive planning program will position 69 implementation-ready projects at the forefront of a nationwide passenger rail development pipeline.
The program sets the stage for revitalizing a portfolio of existing Amtrak corridors, as well as establishing new high speed and conventional rail routes. Selected projects serving the Pacific Northwest include:
Amtrak Cascades Corridor: Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) was selected to provide improvements to the existing Vancouver, Canada to Eugene, Ore. route, to increase reliability, reduce travel times and add frequencies.
Cascadia High Speed Ground Transportation: High speed rail service project sponsored by WSDOT would connect Vancouver, Canada to Portland, Ore. via Seattle.
North Coast Hiawatha Route: Corridor restoration sponsored by Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority would reconnect Chicago to Seattle or Portland, Ore. on an existing alignment.
Anchorage North and South Corridor: Passenger rail improvements sponsored by Alaska Railroad Corporation will add frequencies, reduce travel times and improve reliability between Fairbanks and Seward, Ala.
Since its inception, the PNWER Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (PNWER RIA) has been a steadfast advocate for the region’s passenger and freight rail network, convening key partners and identifying innovative financing solutions to accelerate rail development. This announcement signifies a region-wide stride towards delivering an enhanced passenger rail network for communities in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the nation.
“The Corridor ID Program will enable PNWER to help accelerate a robust network of passenger rail routes in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington,” PNWER RIA Director Bruce Agnew said. “Our High-Performance Rail Initiative will work closely with local partners to add and restore passenger service, incentivize host railroads to make additional capacity improvements, and help farmers and miners get their commodities to global markets.”
The PNWER RIA applauds the U.S. Department of Transportation for its investment in the Corridor ID Program as a mechanism to spur rail system transformation, economic development and community interconnectivity. The program lays a promising foundation for the region’s future and will drive the PNWER RIA’s active engagement with key partners, legislators and stakeholders in its mission to foster a world-class rail system for the Pacific Northwest.
The full list of Corridor ID projects is available here.
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ABOUT PNWER RIA
Initiated in 2021, the PNWER RIA serves as a convener for transportation projects in the region, specifically multistate and multi-jurisdictional initiatives with multi-modal and region-wide benefits. Funded through U.S. DOT’s Build America Bureau, the PNWER RIA helps identify Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) and federal financing opportunities to accelerate the delivery of transportation projects with region-wide benefits that ease supply chain disruptions, reduce transportation-related pollution, and increase economic and environmental justice, especially for historically underserved communities. For more information, visit rianorthwest.org.
