Defund the police and build the biggestest fastestest something. The Sinocrats run Washington state, so a Chinese firm will get the contract, no doubt.

[www.opb.org]

The new study by hired consultants examined governance and financing options. This report builds on previous state-sponsored studies that asserted there are sufficient demand and a business case for trains running at up to 250 miles per hour between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.


The consultants’ report said one of the first jobs of the coordinating entity should be to select a technology for the “ultra-high-speed ground transportation” corridor. The study laid out multiple options including traditional high-speed rail, magnetic levitation trains or a hyperloop, in which passengers zip along in capsules that are propelled electrically down sealed low air pressure tubes. In any case, the aspired travel times are about one hour between Portland and Seattle and another hour from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Another job of the coordinating entity would be to build a broader coalition of support and "ensure deep and equitable local engagement across the corridor."


This latest study did not include updated cost estimates for the enormous acquisition and construction cost of a new, roughly 300-mile rail corridor. A previous feasibility study in 2018 estimated a $24 billion to $42 billion price tag to build a high-speed rail line on a dedicated right-of-way from Portland to Vancouver, British Columbia. The earlier feasibility study determined a need for extensive tunneling and an elevated trackway.

The study authors lean heavily on securing limited state and federal funding to make the math work. The calculations also assume private contributions from train operators or beneficiaries. The study said some construction costs could be financed with borrowing that would be repaid with future ticket revenue. The consultants also suggested the states and province could levy a regional property tax around station locations to raise significant amounts of new revenue.