Obama's Billions Bypass BC
A decade of disinterest has cost Vancouver passengers the benefit of U.S. billions targeted for track improvements north of Seattle. Second of four.
Amtrak Cascades train at Seattle King Street station. Photo by Lazytom.
The Washington State Department of Transportation is preparing to spend more than $700 million upgrading the century-old railway that links Portland, Seattle and Vancouver.
The funds could flow as soon as this fall, as part of President Barack Obama's $8 billion plan to stimulate the U.S. economy by pouring money into shovel-ready improvements to that nation's passenger rail lines.
But Washington State does not plan to spend a single penny of that windfall improving tracks north of Seattle. Rather, it will all be poured into the Seattle-to-Portland section.
Why? Because for more than a decade, Washington State has been dribbling its own money into rebuilding the international railway, while urging British Columbia to do the same. And for just as long, the government of B.C. has been blowing off the American overtures.
Obama throws open the throttle
As The Tyee reported yesterday, Washington State has spent the past 18 years laying plans to incrementally improve rail service from Eugene, Oregon, to Vancouver, British Columbia.
The 750-kilometer route was designated as a "high speed rail corridor" in 1992, in preparation for federal funds that were expected to flow after the election of U.S. President Bill Clinton. But Republicans took control of the U.S. Congress two years later, and choked passenger rail for the next decade and a half.
U.S. President Barack Obama revived American rail last month with the announcement of an $8 billion "down payment" on passenger rail improvements, along with $1 billion a year for the next five years and the promise of more to follow.
In order to get that $8 billion stimulus pumping through the veins of the American economy as quickly as possible, the Obama administration put relatively simple rules on how that money can be spent. Basically, it must be used for shovel-ready construction (as opposed to planning) along existing high-speed rail corridors (as opposed to new routes).
The announcement was a boon for the Washington State Department of Transportation, which had spent the past decade not only planning passenger rail projects, but also shepherding them through slow-moving environmental review processes.
"We've got several projects we can put forward to go after that money," State Rail and Marine Office spokesperson Vicki Sheehan told The Tyee.
Sheehan said Washington State would be requesting "more than $700 million" worth of rail stimulus money.
"We've still got another project or two we're trying to get on the list," she added. "This is more than the U.S. has ever previously invested in passenger rail."
B.C. 'contributed little or no funds'
About one-quarter of the Seattle-to-Vancouver line is located in British Columbia. Most of that right-of-way is more than a century old. As a result, even 21st century trains must slow to 19th century speeds of 10 miles per hour when crossing the antique Fraser River Swing Bridge, and 15 miles per hour while snaking through White Rock.
In 2006, the Washington State Department of Transportation published a long-range plan for Amtrak Cascades inter-city passenger rail that included a detailed list of improvements British Columbia would need to undertake in order to cut the travel time to Seattle from the excruciating four hours it takes today to a more respectable speed of two-and-a-half hours -- which is about what it takes to drive.
The list suggested by Washington State included several new sidings in Burnaby and Delta, higher-speed tracks in White Rock, a new traffic control system and one big-ticket item: a new rail bridge across the Fraser River. Altogether, Washington figured these improvements would cost about a billion dollars -- with the new bridge eating up more than half of that total.
The 2006 report noted that Washington and Oregon had already committed to more than $800 million dollars worth of such expenditures, while British Columbia had spent nothing.
"Without implementation of these projects, the build-out of the passenger rail program will not be achieved," the 2006 plan stated.
"The lack of detailed plans for the segments outside of Washington could result in the inability to continue Amtrak Cascades program development in Washington," the plan warned.
An unofficial paper co-authored by three top project managers within the Washington State rail office was more blunt.
"...the Province of British Columbia [has] contributed little or no funds toward the current service," stated the 2007 paper, entitled, "Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor -- Building Blocks Into the Future."
By 2008, when the state transportation department released a follow-up planning document, all mention of British Columbia's participation has been erased from the plan. It was as if Washington State had simply given up on the Vancouver run.
'Funding is probably a key element'
Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon refused The Tyee's request to be interviewed for this article.
The B.C. Transportation Plan includes no mention of the Cascades project or the required track improvements. Likewise, B.C.'s "major projects inventory," a list of foreseen provincial expenditures, has since 2001 carried forward only a vague note earmarking $20 million for unspecified Amtrak rail improvements.
Washington State rail office spokesperson Vicki Sheehan would not comment on why Washington was investing nothing in the northern route, except to politely direct The Tyee's attention to these reports.
"We've faced considerable difficulty in getting even a second train rolling to B.C.," Sheehan said.
She did note that as prior investments have improved service on the southern route, Vancouver has fallen from the third most popular destination on the Cascades line (behind Seattle and Portland) to fifth place (behind Eugene). She said that about 668,000 passengers stepped on or off the train in Seattle last year, and about 660,000 in Portland. Only 115,000 did so in Vancouver.
Federal Railroad Administration spokesman Warren Flatau was more direct.
"I don't think Washington State is going to seek funding for that [Vancouver route] unless they know that there is a strong partner on the other side of the border," Flateau said.
The Tyee asked Flateau, who works in the U.S. Department of Transportation's offices in Washington D.C., what American officials would need to see in order change their minds about Canada in general and British Columbia in particular.
"What we would expect to hear from Canadian governments at the federal and provincial level -- as well as at the local and regional levels, for that matter -- would be explicit statements of support for developing some type of rail connection," Flateau said.
What form might such statements take?
"Funding is probably a key element," he replied. "An expressed willingness that the government, presumably at the federal level, is prepared to commit resources to make it happen."
Tomorrow: How Ottawa has barred a second daily Amtrak train from crossing the border.
Related Tyee stories:
- The Myth of High-Speed Rail for BC
No key player -- not Obama, Harper, Campbell or Washington State -- is on board with high-speed rail to Vancouver. Part one of four. - The Dangerous Lives of Train-hopping 'Yohos'
Illegal and risky, it's an adventure for some kids. - On Track for Another Toxic Rail Derailment?
'Safest' train company in North America still threatens salmon, people.
![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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37
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Luke Skywalker
2 years ago
Putting Everything Into Perspective...
That $8 billion US plan would equate to around roughly $800 million here in Canada. And that's peanuts considering the prohibitively expensive tunnelling and viaducts required for HSR.
Just California alone requires at least $40 billion for its proposed 800 mile HSR route.
http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/news/FUNDING_lr.pdf
That said, it sure would be great if North America would follow the European HSR model. That's stay wayyyy down the road though and only if airline interests don't impede same.
LeftSeater
2 years ago
Burrard Bridge backlash....
I don't think the BC Government is guilty of blowing off the American overtures when it comes to high speed rail transportation between Vancouver/Seattle.
They probably realize that once the Vancouver special interest types get involved, bicycle lanes will have to be built between the rails.
rac
2 years ago
Lets Step Up to the Plate
Much better than the first article. Hopefully, this will finally get the province off its ass. It has been too busy wasting money on highways. Guess it hasn't yet figured cheap oil is not going to be around for much longer.
There still is time. The $8 billion is acknowledged to only be a small portion of what is required for rail in the states. If the province and fed step up now, we can take advantage of the next round of funding for rail.
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
Luke S. - Why won't Falcon answer any questions?
That $8 billion US plan would equate to around roughly $800 million here in Canada. And that's peanuts considering the prohibitively expensive tunnelling and viaducts required for HSR.
This is one of the few mostly sensible things you've ever said. But it still doesn't explain why Washington State has gotten zero response from the B.C. Govt.
Based on what you hear from higher command authority, why won't Minister Falcon answer any questions from The Tyee on this issue? Do the PAB staff lack confidence in his ability to "stay out of jail" if he gets interviewed? Why do they leave it the party's corps of anonymous bloggers like yourself to carry forward the BC Liberal talking points?
Grumpy
2 years ago
It all goes to show................
..........that Gordon Campbell and Kevin Falcon are anti rail and pro road. Robber on asphalt rules in BC.
Our American cousins in Washington State are more proactive and support rail and with the public supporting rail - so do the politicians.
RickW
2 years ago
Luje S.
You quite obviously haven't read a single thing that Grumpy has posted.............
Because this is one thing the Libs cannot foist on the NDP. It has been entirely on the Liberal watch that this has been ignored, while their prohibitvely expensive
pet projects that will solve nothing (except padding the bank accounts of their favorite donors)roll ahead.
Stump
2 years ago
@Leftseater
See the pretty picture in the article? See the lovely train?
Guess what? You can roll your bike right onto it without having to box it and pay extra for the privilege. No bike lanes required (unlike the Burrard Bridge which will soon be the most progressive water crossing in the Lower Mainland).
Grumpy
2 years ago
Speed in Whiterock...........
...........can be increased to 80 kph if they fence the line and put pedestrian under passes in. Cost $2 to $5 million. Anyone who mentions a tunnel for about $1 billion is off his/or her rocker.
The venerable Fraser River Rail Bridge is in dire need of replacing and if a multi track lift-span is used bridge speeds can be increased to about 60 kph, which is about normal for a modern railway lift span. At that speed, the train will only be on the bridge structure for about 1 minute.
Most of the US portion of the line has been replace with welded track and greatly improved ballast/foundations, but the Everett - Marysville bridges and the 79.5 mph speed restriction is what really slows the service.
Grumpy
2 years ago
We are not talking bullet trains..........
..........but 100 mph passenger rail operation that is being done in almost every other country in the world. Even the venerable BC Rail Budd Cars hit 90 mph on the Brakendale flats!
The US law that passenger trains not exceed 79.5 mph is what is really holding back faster rail services.
Grumpy
2 years ago
I really wish our universities offer degrees in............
..........in rail transportation because we desperately need the expertise for railways.
Like the SkyTrain debate (or lack there of) has taken an air of science fiction. What is needed in Canada, from Vancouver to the boarder is about $30 million to $50 million in upgrades to increase speeds in Vancouver, Burnaby, Delta and Surrey Whiterock. Already some improvements have been made in Delta.
The Amtrak Vancouver train is about 85% full all the time and is the reason why Amtrak wants to run a second service.
And if anyone who has taken the train to Seattle knows very well that everyone passes customs in Vancouver.
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
US rail legislation
Perhaps someone with knowledge of the railroad industry can answer this question. From memory, I don't think US law restricts trains to 80 mph generally, but rather imposes higher requirements on the track for speeds over that. I believe that once speeds surpass 100 mph, or possible 120 mph, any remaining level crossings must be guarded by an impenetrable barrier. Between 80 and 100 or 120 mph there would be rising requirements.
BTW, what are the comparable Canadian rules?
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
It sure shows something, alright
It all goes to show................ that Gordon Campbell and Kevin Falcon are anti rail and pro road. Robber on asphalt rules in BC.
Our American cousins in Washington State are more proactive and support rail and with the public supporting rail - so do the politicians
As everyone knows, WSDOT is making major improvements to Interstate 5 north of Seattle as far as Everett, with major HOV/busway elements. Signs beside the work sites proclaim, "It's your nickle, watch it work!" Washington understands that with increasing population and employment, more of both freeways and passenger rail are indicated.
So what it all goes to show is that the silly insularity and colonialism of Vancouver is once again reducing any kind of debate to one of false dichotomies and stentorian dogmas, EDITED FOR PERSONAL INSULTS TOWARD ANOTHER COMMENTER. PLEASE MAKE YOUR POINTS WITHOUT INSULTING OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE THREADS. - TYEE EDITOR
It kind of makes you wonder whose behind that silly attitude, doesn't it?
Grumpy
2 years ago
Rod......
.....I was told by an Amtrak official some years ago about the ? act that prohibits passenger trains from traveling faster than 79.5 mph on class 1 railways.
Except for the North East Corridor trains (most used by congressmen/women and Senators) the law applies to all rail routes and was passed to prevent Amtrak from operating faster trains, requiring more maintenance from the railway owners.
It is my belief that rules regarding railway crossings are up to state statute and not federal law. Back east wig~wags are still used in some states.
I stand to be corrected.
Wilfred Laurier
2 years ago
Have a look
Have a look at the BNA act. Transportation between two nations is a federal responsibility. It has nothing to do with the provincial government.
snert
2 years ago
RickW
I'd be willing to bet money that the BC portion of the upgrade would cost double the estimate cited in this article.
And for how many riders/day?
shabbaranks
2 years ago
Whaoh, whoah, whoah
So y'all are in support of a muti-million (let's call it an even billion) project that will service an estimated 600,000 people per year (probably less as the Seattle/Portland demand is higher than the one to Vancouver), and are scheming of ways to get a fast train roaring through White Rock to accomplish this?
I don't get it. Remember all the outrage you showed for Tsawassen and the residents impacted by the overhead lines? Remember the shameful treatment the Cambie merchants and residents received when their neighbourhood was destroyed? How do you think White Rock residents will feel about a fast, clanging train ripping through their tourist paradise a few times a day? If it gets built, there should be an alternate route that doesn't use up a big chunk of the existing right of way, around these areas (more money).
And all for 600,000 people at the most per year? Don't you also anticipate a reduction in traffic due to border restrictions (most Americans don't have a passport remember, and most probably won't just to visit our town) and a weakened economy.
Somebody, please, JUSTIFY this project. Why is your pet project okay, but the Liberal's Skytrain per projects, not? How many cars will this remove from the roads? How many passengers will it carry? What will be the benefit? I like trains. I LOVE trains, but I don't see the need to pursue this as it is being suggested. Improve the service, encourage people to take the existing option, create the market before you serve it!
Dan the socialist
2 years ago
What I do not understand is
What I do not understand is why the Amtrak train from Vancouver leaves at 5:45 pm. It may be ok for the summer but the rest of the year it is dark and plus sort of puts the 'brakes' on day trips but with ignorant and rude custom officers going down and coming back now, it is really not worth the hassle and now with passport or hi tech drivers license, too much of a hassle for my likes.
I have been to Cuba, Spain, Germany, Holland, France and custom people are not 'arrogant' like they are in Canada and the US..
BillMelater
2 years ago
disconnect is appalling
I don't understand why anyone would want to cross the border into a police/torture state. Why do you want to spend money to support the international flag of terrorism, except to service your own greed?
Boycott USA
dave49
2 years ago
Some background and a rant about vision (Not the civic party)
Some useful background on Amtrack's "Acela Express" can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express
Yes, I know it's Wikipedia and not completely authoritative, but it has some useful info on speed rules and population density.
Basically we don't have the population density or the traffic to justify the investment in high-speed rail. In Europe they build separate corridors, rather than just upgrade existing ones.
The other problem is the LACK of VISION among political leaders of all stripes. A few years ago, a green technology promoter told me that BC could have joined a team research effort in tidal power led by the USA's Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), which combines industry and government money. We turned them down. Only Nova Scotia joined and, surprise, they have a developing tidal power industry. Blue Energy, a local tidal energy company who had worked extensively with the National Research Council (NRC), moved to Nova Scotia last year, citing BC's lack of support for the technology.
What we need in this province is to DO SOMETHING and stop patting ourselves on the back and assuring ourselves BC is wonderful.
Talk about self-propaganda!
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
US article on this subject
http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/26/news-round-up-20/
rac
2 years ago
High-speed rail along the West Coast is a 'no-brainer'
A much better article at:
http://www.seattlepi.com/connelly/406628_joel28.html?source=mypi
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
rac: How is that article better?
How is Connelly's article better? I used to see him on Channel 9 and always found him entertaining, but he hasn't even interviewed any WSDOT officials.
Maybe you like this piece because Robertson openly endorsed Ignatieff, not Layton?
wayfarer
2 years ago
Falcon's response
Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon refused The Tyee's request to be interviewed for this article.
This sums up nicely the Campbell Liberal contribution to the project.
rac
2 years ago
Change Happens When it Happens
Because, Rod, officials only state the current policies which where developed in the era of cheap oil. It is up to the politicians to to create the new policies going forward. Certainly, having Mayor Robertson championing high speed rail is a big step forward. Up until he stepped forward, there has been no political champion in BC. Don't be surprised that the province and the feds are getting the message and working behind the scenes on new policies going forward. It has only been a couple of months since Obama changed the game by including money for rail in the stimulus so it is not surprising that both policies in the states and here have not been updated to reflect the new reality.
Change doesn't happen until it happens. Just because it hasn't happened yet does not mean it won't happen which seems to be both your logic and the logic of the writer of the article.
Obviously the Libs are concerned about this because Falcon has refused to comment. I suspect that Campbell will want to follow Obama and the Govenator and include HSR in his legacy.
rac
2 years ago
Rod, and by the way, I'm not
Rod, and by the way, I'm not a big fan of Ignatieff although those annoying attack ads are creating some sympathy for him. His support for HSR does put him at the front of a underwhelming pack.
brg61
2 years ago
Rail service long overdue.
shabbaranks....your comment suggests that nothing changes.
This project makes sense on many fronts. We would be partners with the U.S. gov't as well as the states of Washington and Oregon. (sure beats that P3 partner we had for the olympic village)
An efficient service with custom clearance in Vancouver and arrival in Seattle within two and half hours will attract people.
You ask if 600,000 patrons are worth the expense. That number reflects ridership in Seattle-Portland last year; prior to any new money spent on upgrades.
More passengers will use the faster, renewed product. Another fact favouring the investment is the population growth of Wash. and Ore.(appr. 11 million potential
visitors at our front door and increasing by nearly 10% every 5 yrs.)
How can Campbell say his savvy business sense makes him the best leader in tough economic conditions and he hasn't responded to our closest neighbours' interest in B.C.?
Looks like the train has left the station for our self proclaimed "best choice" for leader.
Grumpy
2 years ago
I have just talked to some railway folks in Seattle.........
......and I am indeed correct, the replacement of the Marysville to Everett bridges are the key for faster journey times.
They want 90 mph running from Marysville to Chuckanut bay and 70 mph running from Everett to Seattle which will take off about 40 minutes of travel time.
The Canadian section is an after thought but they said double tracking the Grandview cut and 70 mph operation from Vancouver to New Westminster and and again from Bridgeview to the Serpentine and 50 mph through Whiterock would reduce journey times by about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the two measures and you have almost 1 hour off the present 3 1/2 to 4 hour trip time.
90 mph it seems is high speed for them and all this talk of bullet trains and 300 kph operation is nothing but "fantasy" from North of the 49th.
RickW
2 years ago
Billmelater
I don't. I want to see HSR built across Canada. But if getting one's foot into that door involves prostituting one's self with the US, so be it.
Luke Skywalker
2 years ago
Grumpy...
That's akin to building power-lines through Tsawwassen!
The current mix of freight/passenger rail along the same antiquated track system impedes the mobility of passenger rail.
Ideally, and it won't ever happen, I would like to see the following for HST on our side of the border heading northward:
1. A tunnel between 8th Ave. and 32nd Ave. under the White Rock/South Surrey hump.
2. A new alignment continuing to parallel the Hwy 99 corridor right up to the Westminster Hwy interchange.
3. The new alignment veering slightly eastward paralleling the Knight freeway corridor;
4. A tunnel portal on the Vancouver side right through to the Pacific Central Station terminus.
A prohibitively expensive HST dream I know... but if this was Europe it would already have been a done deal.
RickW
2 years ago
LS
You ean to say this would not be "prohibitively expensive" in Europe as well? Doesn't sound like an adequate excuse, considering the 10's of billions spent by Campbell in shoring up roadways.
frank2
2 years ago
shabbaranks wrote,
shabbaranks wrote, "Somebody, please, JUSTIFY this project."
Any takers?
DPL
2 years ago
This reminds me of the
This reminds me of the London Paris Chunnel trains of a very few years ago. Leave London and go about 30 miles an hour till the chunnel , then the speed went to a very high rate all the way to Paris. Not much sense having a system with two dramatic differences in speed. The Brits finally caught up awhile ago. I cannot imagine a train doing a high speed run through Whiterock anytime soon
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
WSDOT is not run by the PAB
rac
Because, Rod, officials only state the current policies which where developed in the era of cheap oil. ... Certainly, having Mayor Robertson championing high speed rail is a big step forward. ...
Does Gregor Robertson actually understand this issue as a transportation project, or has he been told it's a great idea for peak oil and GHGs? BTW, is oil still cheap at $60 per barrell?
I took down this website in which the State of Washington puts forward their long term plan for the Cascades Amtrak service. It's nearly 300 pages, and unlike so many BC Govt blurbs, its a book not a brochure, without any embarassing 'Best Place on Earth' proclamations. I haven't read it, but just scanning it shows they've done serious, detailed investigations in Canada on rail facilities and issues.
Clearly, their officials are serious and have done real work. They are not parroting some house media lines when they speak, they are giving substantial replies. They are not cut from the same cloth as the lightweigh PAB types in Victoria.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/AE671CC5-6633-4BF2-9041-FB328ADB1F31/0/LongRangePlanforAmtrakCascades.pdf
Change doesn't happen until it happens. Just because it hasn't happened yet does not mean it won't happen which seems to be both your logic and the logic of the writer of the article.
Er, ... right. Paulsen's article laid out the very real problems, very high up-front track improvment costs which put true HSR beyond reach, and even somewhat faster trains would need track improvements that the Govts of BC and Canada have refused to fund or even consider for several years.
Obviously the Libs are concerned about this because Falcon has refused to comment. I suspect that Campbell will want to follow Obama and the Govenator and include HSR in his legacy.
To me it looks like they're doing a Gerry Scott thing, ignore it and hope it goes away. If the BC Govt has refused to even talk with WSDOT officials in any meaningful way, you can sort of take it from there.
... and by the way, I'm not a big fan of Ignatieff although those annoying attack ads are creating some sympathy for him. His support for HSR does put him at the front of a underwhelming pack.
Where did Ignatieff say he supported HSR, and in what locations? I must have missed that.
I saw one of the Tory TV ads tonight. It was kind of funny in its amateurishness, about the same yahoo material as the anti-Dion ads. They really don't have anything on the guy, no piles of cash, no dirty pics, it's all just mush about supposed tax hikes. I guess the real message is just that he's lived outside the country forever and is an international academic, an elitist if you will.
Grumpy
2 years ago
Luke...............
.............if this was Europe they would fence the rights-ow-way in Whiterock to allow 80 kph operation. They would not build the infrastructure mentioned previously unless there was a train every 15 minutes.
A new rail-bridge over the Fraser would allow 1) increased passenger rail service and 2) increased diesel LRT servicing Chilliwack and Whiterock.
rac
2 years ago
Perspective
In Metro Vancouver, we ship over $10 billion a year out of the region to just pay for the owning and operating of autos. And some number of billions more on air travel, highway building, parking etc. For much less than that, we could build high speed rail that could both serve the states as well as regional centres.
Such a rail system would support compact development and compliment light rail and SkyTrain.
Toronto and LA are starting to look at regional high speed rail connecting destinations 20km or more apart travelling between 100-150 kph.
falcon53
2 years ago
Its Not Skytrain so BC Won't Fund It
I think the provincial government has an easy way of evaluating the projects which will get provincial funds. If it means money for skytrain, they will fund it, else, not a chance in hell.
Perhaps if we could get Bombardier to support the high-speed rail link there might be hope.
Rod Smelser
2 years ago
rac: A source?
rac
In Metro Vancouver, we ship over $10 billion a year out of the region to just pay for the owning and operating of autos. ... {/i]
Toronto and LA are starting to look at regional high speed rail connecting destinations 20km or more apart travelling between 100-150 kph.
Is there a source for either of these claims?