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    Ultra High-Speed Rail Travel Study Update

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    The Urbanist
    The document provides an update on studies of an ultra-high-speed ground transportation system linking Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, BC. Key points include: - Previous studies projected annual ridership of 1.7-2.1 million and capital costs of $24-42 billion. Economic analysis found potential for 200,000 jobs and $321-388 billion GDP increase over 20 years. - The 2019 business case analysis will independently assess the economic, environmental and financial case and identify service, routes, stations and funding options. - Surveys found 74% of travelers would use the system. Initial ridership projections capture 25% of travelers between Portland and Seattle, and 14% between Seattle and Vancouver.

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    Ultra High-Speed Rail Travel Study Update

    Uploaded by

    The Urbanist
    4K views11 pages
    The document provides an update on studies of an ultra-high-speed ground transportation system linking Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, BC. Key points include: - Previous studies projected annual ridership of 1.7-2.1 million and capital costs of $24-42 billion. Economic analysis found potential for 200,000 jobs and $321-388 billion GDP increase over 20 years. - The 2019 business case analysis will independently assess the economic, environmental and financial case and identify service, routes, stations and funding options. - Surveys found 74% of travelers would use the system. Initial ridership projections capture 25% of travelers between Portland and Seattle, and 14% between Seattle and Vancouver.

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    Ultra High-Speed Rail Travel Study Update

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    The document provides an update on studies of an ultra-high-speed ground transportation system linking Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, BC. Key points include: - Previous studies projected annual ridership of 1.7-2.1 million and capital costs of $24-42 billion. Economic analysis found potential for 200,000 jobs and $321-388 billion GDP increase over 20 years. - The 2019 business case analysis will independently assess the economic, environmental and financial case and identify service, routes, stations and funding options. - Surveys found 74% of travelers would use the system. Initial ridership projections capture 25% of travelers between Portland and Seattle, and 14% between Seattle and Vancouver.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    4K views11 pages

    Ultra High-Speed Rail Travel Study Update

    Uploaded by

    The Urbanist
    The document provides an update on studies of an ultra-high-speed ground transportation system linking Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, BC. Key points include: - Previous studies projected annual ridership of 1.7-2.1 million and capital costs of $24-42 billion. Economic analysis found potential for 200,000 jobs and $321-388 billion GDP increase over 20 years. - The 2019 business case analysis will independently assess the economic, environmental and financial case and identify service, routes, stations and funding options. - Surveys found 74% of travelers would use the system. Initial ridership projections capture 25% of travelers between Portland and Seattle, and 14% between Seattle and Vancouver.

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    Ultra-high-speed travel study update

    H o u s e Tr a n s p o r t at i o n C o m m i t t e e

    RON PATE, Rail, Freight and Ports Division Director

    Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation

    January 30, 2019 Keith Metcalf, Deputy Secretary of Transportation

    1
    Timeline of studies

    • 2017 Legislative session - $300,000 approved for preliminary feasibility


    study (Microsoft and trades contributed an additional $60,000 for an
    economic analysis).
    • Dec. 2017 – Report submitted to legislature and presented to Joint
    Transportation Committee.
    • Jan. 2018 – Economic analysis addendum shared with legislature.
    • 2018 Legislative session - $750,000 approved for business case analysis
    (Microsoft, British Columbia and Oregon contribute a combined additional
    $650,000 towards the analysis).
    • June 2019 – Business case analysis will be completed and submitted to
    the legislature.
    • 2019 Legislative session – Governor has requested $3.25 million to
    develop a new ultra-high-speed transportation authority, conduct outreach
    and undertake preliminary environmental review.

    2
    Overview of ultra-high-speed ground transportation

    • Would link Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, BC, with possible


    additional stops in between
    • Travel time between each city expected to be less than an hour
    • Speeds up to 250 mph
    • Analyzing rail, maglev and hyperloop options
    • Connections to existing trains, transit, and rideshare options
    • Requires separate, new right-of-way
    • Probably significant tunneling and/or elevated tracks and bridges
    • Anticipates public and private investment
    • Seen as improving mobility, environment, and quality of life
    • Viewed as a catalyst for economic growth in the entire Cascadia
    mega-region

    3
    2017 preliminary feasibility study

    Very high-level, preliminary analysis


    • Advisory group of representatives from the public, private and nonprofit
    sectors in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia provided input
    • Found 12 daily round trips may be optimal
    • Looked at scenarios ranging from three to seven station stops
    • Evaluated effect of connecting to a new east-west route to Spokane
    • Annual ridership projected between 1.7 and 2.1 million soon after opening
    • Capital construction costs ranging from $24 to $42 billion
    • Potential to ultimately cover annual operating and maintenance costs with
    ticket sales, but how soon varies by technology
    Economic analysis (supplement to the feasibility study)
    • Preliminary analysis shows large economic development potential
    • Forecasts generating 200,000 jobs (both construction and long-term)
    • Forecasts GDP increasing by $321 to $388 billion over 20 years
    • Projects decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 28,000
    metric tons/year

    4
    2019 business case analysis

    Purpose and Goals


    • Independently assess economic, environmental and financial
    strategic case for ultra-high-speed system
    • Analyze how it might be a catalyst for regional economic growth and
    integration
    • Develop ridership projections and economic impact forecasts
    • Identify service, route and possible stations
    • Identify funding options from a range of possible sources
    • Explore potential governance models

    5
    Initial findings amongst current travelers

    Stated preference survey of travelers in the corridor


    Mode choices of current drivers and flyers
    • Surveyed both leisure and business travelers if ultra-high-speed travel was available
    • 2,400 respondents
    • Found significant interest, with 74% saying they would
    “definitely try” ultra-high-speed system

    Mode share capture potential between cities


    Portland, OR ↔
    Seattle, WA Seattle, WA ↔
    Portland, OR ↔ Vancouver, BC
    Vancouver, BC

    25% 14%

    23%

    6
    Initial findings from Advisory Group members

    Insights from Advisory Group – 40 stakeholders


    representing businesses; non-profits; local, state
    and provincial governments

    S ease of
    regional growth

    H R HEALTHIER travel compete in world economy

    prosperity

    connections
    AE concerts and sports
    new opportunities

    more
    R S connectivity improved
    E O job
    DU tourism communities linkages

    better
    R access MEGA-REGION
    C FAST quality environmentally-friendly
    E TRAVEL of life smart FORWARD-
    S
    affordable housing investment THINKING

    7
    Initial findings from business leaders offer similar opinions

    Insights from interviews with business leaders • A better quality of life through:
    – Improved access to education, training and jobs
    • Given today’s congestion and population growth,
    – Less time spent commuting
    can’t imagine Cascadia Region in 30-50 years
    – Less green house gas emissions, better health
    without it
    • Reduced cost of doing business
    • View this PNW corridor as similar to east coast’s
    • A transportation system that might be crucial for
    New York to Washington, D.C. corridor
    natural disaster recovery
    – Conducting business
    • Creating additional capacity on I-5 corridor for freight
    – Connecting with family and friends
    and broadband
    – Attending cultural, entertainment and sporting events
    • Improve ability to access, recruit and retain talent 26 interviews with large and small businesses
    • Availability of more affordable workforce housing from various sectors, trade organizations, and
    government entities throughout the region
    • Ease of doing business (a meeting between cities
    They’re confident our region can make it happen
    vs. a full-day or two-day trip) Business leaders believe we need to develop a broad
    • Increased opportunity for collaboration vision that is compelling, exciting, coalescing, and
    • Able to compete in world economy in future years easy to comprehend

    8
    Work in progress through June 2019

    Analyzing various station stop scenarios Economic analysis


    • Looking at scenarios with up to nine stations • Ensuring equity is at the forefront of decisions
    • Comparing stations in downtown cores vs suburban sites vs • Analyzing this region’s future growth potential in global
    airport locations market
    • Finding the sweet spot between benefits and costs of adding • Looking at enhanced connections across industry
    more stations and/or increasing speed of travel clusters
    • Developing possible schedules with a mix of express service • Examining more infill development possibilities and
    and multi-stops (perhaps not every train needs to stop at every opportunities for innovative start-ups
    station) • Thinking about possible transformations in small towns
    Construction considerations and weighing job opportunities with quality of life issues

    • Comparing cost of right-of-way acquisition and land use issues Funding and finance
    through high-population centers vs more suburban alignments • Important to create a governance authority able to seek
    • Analyzing ability to construct a fairly straight alignment that’s public and private funding
    necessary for some of the technologies being considered • Identifying a range of funding options and tools
    • Looking at topography of corridor that will require tunneling, • Ensuring revenue-sharing related to economic
    elevated tracks, bridges, and grade separation from roadways development around stations

    9
    Governor’s 2019 proposal to continue project work

    Seeking funds to develop a corridor authority Report due to Governor and Legislature by
    • Participation from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia June 30, 2020, to include:
    • Abides by MOU signed by Governor Inslee and British • Assessment of current laws in Washington,
    Columbia Premier Horgan in October 2018 Oregon and British Columbia related to this
    project
    • Builds on results of the current business case analysis
    being conducted • Summary of community engagement process

    • Will address governance and operating structures, legal Requesting total of $3.25 million to
    instruments, and contracting requirements
    undertake this work
    • Requires robust community engagement process to help
    • Department of Transportation – Program Y
    refine the alignment of the corridor
    • $3,000,000 from the multimodal transportation
    • Requires preliminary environmental review of the project
    account – state appropriation
    • Requires recommendations to advance the development
    • $250,000 from the multimodal transportation
    of the corridor
    account – private/local appropriation

    10
    Questions?

    For more information,


    please contact:

    Jason Beloso
    Ron Pate
    Planning Manager
    Director
    Rail, Freight, and Ports Division
    Rail, Freight and Ports Division
    BelosoJ@wsdot.wa.gov
    PateRD@wsdot.wa.gov
    206-464-1259
    360-705-6903

    11

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