PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Getting between Portland and Seattle in less than an hour on a high-speed train is feasible, according to a new study from the Washington Department of Transportation.
An explanation of the study on WSDOT’s website says “a stronger, better connected economic megaregion — stretching from greater Vancouver, British Columbia to metro Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon — has the potential to thrive in the global marketplace.”
The ultra-high-speed ground transportation would connect Vancouver, British Columbia to Portland through Seattle. Vancouver to Portland is around 350 miles.
According to the study, the trips would be around one hour and travel at 220 mph. There would be between 21 to 30 daily round trips.
The cost estimate for the project is $24 to $42 billion. The study says as a result there would be an estimated $355 billion in economic growth and 200,000 new jobs related to construction and operation of the train.
The study also says it would reduce 6 million metric tons of CO2 emissions of the first 40 years of service.
There is no actual timeframe for the project.
