Nearly $50 million awarded for Cascadia High-Speed Rail project

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Photo: Saga Communications

BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Plans for a high-speed train through Bellingham just got a major boost in funding.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell announced on Dec. 18 that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded nearly $50 million to start planning for the Cascadia High-Speed Rail project.

The 250-mph train is projected to take just an hour to travel from Seattle to either Vancouver or Portland.

Sen. Patty Murray joined Cantwell in advocating for the funding and says the project will offer faster travel not just between major cities, but for communities in between. It has not yet confirmed if there will be a stop in Bellingham, though nonprofit group Cascadia Rail is advocating for the city to be included in the list of stops.

This most recent round of funding will be used to complete Step 2 of the program, which includes route planning, identification of capital projects and community outreach.

Passenger rail travel has grown to over 900,000 riders using the Amtrak Cascades Route in 2024, a 40% increase from the year before.

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