Oregon Lawmakers Propose Bill to Require Cascade to Extend to Eugene
Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
Oregon Department of Transportation
The proposed bullet train from Portland to Seattle to Vancouver would need to include service all the way to Eugene, according to a bill that was submitted in the Oregon Legislature.
“This must go to Eugene. It’s the entire corridor that needs to be addressed,” said Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene, according to a local news report. “This is not just about Portland to Canada. It has to benefit the clogged Willamette Valley and benefit more Oregonians.”
The Washington State Department of Transportation, in collaboration with Oregon and British Columbia, is preparing to apply for more than $500 million in federal aid this spring to make the proposed train “shovel ready,” the report said.
Supporters of the project anticipate a train with a maximum speed of at least 250 miles per hour operating on a dedicated track. The ability to operate at such a speed could transport passengers from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle in an hour and from Seattle to Portland in another hour, the report said.
Amtrak trains in the Pacific Northwest are currently capable of traveling at a maximum speed of 79 miles per hour because congestion on a mainline shared by freight trains regularly causes delays for passenger trains.
