Premier John Horgan announced today that British Columbia will be contributing $300,000 to a $1.2-million joint study with Washington State that will investigate the possibility of a high speed rail linking Vancouver and Seattle.
It would cut the travel time from three hours by car to just sixty minutes via rail.
“The convenience of a one-hour trip between Vancouver and Seattle would create countless opportunities for people in both B.C. and Washington, from sports or concert getaways for families, to untold economic growth potential for businesses,” said BC Premier John Horgan.
It is estimated the project could create up to 200,000 jobs for British Columbian and American workers.
Faster and cleaner
“The early study results show the corridor would help create jobs, generate affordable housing options, ease freeway traffic and clean our air.” Washington Governor Jay Inslee said, “It’s an exciting step for Washington and British Columbia.”
Depending on technology and route selection, the high speed rail could cost anywhere from US $24-$42-billion, and could be implemented by 2035.
The $1.2-million study is the next step from a smaller, $300,000 study concluded by the state of Washington in 2017. It’s all a part of the “Cascadia Innovation Corridor”, which according to Inslee, aims to “strengthen our economies and promote prosperity for the entire region through talent, transportation, and innovation.”
The Cascadia Innovation Corridor was first introduced in 2016 by then-Premier Christy Clark and Washington Governor Jay Inslee, when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
