Date:  Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Contact:  

Andrew Wood, State Rail and Marine Office, 360-705-6903
Vickie Sheehan, WSDOT Communications, 360-705-7904

OLYMPIA – In a quest to expand high-speed intercity passenger rail along the I-5 corridor and continue to provide alternative transportation choices, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has applied for $80 million in additional grants for the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor (PNWRC).

Any additional grant money will allow Washington state to make critical infrastructure improvements to the high-speed rail system, which will improve mobility in congested areas along the rail corridor, provide transportation options other than driving, create and preserve jobs, foster economic growth, and improve air quality across our state.

“We are dedicated to improving and expanding our state supported Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service and are thankful for federal support”, said Paula Hammond Secretary of Transportation. “These additional grant funds will allow us to further advance our high-speed rail plans and build on the $590 million in Recovery Act funds that were awarded to us in January”.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) accepted applications for $2.1 billion in grants to continue the development of high-speed intercity passenger rail corridors. In addition, the FRA will make another $245 million available for individual construction projects within a corridor. Funds for both come from the 2010 U.S. Department of Transportation Appropriations Act and are part of President Obama’s investment to grow high-speed rail in America.
 
Washington state submitted nine applications for the following different components of this appropriation:

Final design/construction for individual projects:

• Blaine Swift Customs Facility Siding
• King Street Station Renovation and Seismic Retrofit
• Mount Vernon Siding Extension
• Tukwila Station Improvements
• Vancouver Port Access Rail Improvements

Preliminary engineering and environmental for individual projects:

• Bellingham Mainline Relocation
• Seattle-Blaine Slope Stabilization
• Skagit River Bridge Replacement

Service development programs:

One corridor application which included the following projects:

• Bellingham Mainline Relocation
• King Street Station Renovation and Seismic Retrofit
• Blaine Swift Customs Facility Siding

Nearly $1 billion in capital and operating funds has been invested in high speed intercity passenger rail in the PNWRC since 1994. This investment has resulted in the state-supported Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service which has served over six million travelers over the years and provided a valuable transportation option to driving. The financial support comes from a combination of federal, state and local support. Washington state alone has invested significantly with a total of almost $331 million.

All applications required a 20 percent non-federal match of funds to be eligible. Support for the required matching funds has been pledged from Senator Mary Margaret Haugen and Representative Judy Clibborn as well as district legislators, local cities and ports, Sound Transit, and the Washington State Historical Society.

Grant awards, including the $2.1 billion and $245 million from the 2010 appropriations, are expected to be announced by September 30, 2010.
 
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