High-speed rail would be ultimate efficient addition to Northwest transportation system
by Brad Perkins, Guest opinion
Sunday December 28, 2008, 5:55 PM Oregonian
Developing a high-speed rail transit line between Eugene and Vancouver B.C. has now, more than ever, the potential to become a reality in Oregon. The Governors and Congressional delegations of Oregon and Washington need to take a more proactive stance in supporting the kind of high-speed rail projects that are increasingly gaining support nationwide.
In a November 30, 2008 issue of Parade magazine, people were asked if they preferred cash rebates to repairing our nation's infrastructure. 67% percent of Americans preferred focusing on infrastructure improvements that emphasized building faster and better trains, which would help to not only reduce road congestion, pollution, and green house gases but to create much-needed jobs as well.
On November 18, 2008, Senators John Kerry and Arlan Spector introduced a bill that would allow bonds to be issued to raise more than $23 billion for high-speed rail projects in the United States. These funds are a beginning, although it will take substantial funding and collaboration nationwide similar to the efforts expended to build our interstate freeway system that was initiated during the Eisenhower Administration for Defense purposes.
Lifestyle changes dependent on transit would increase our security and comfort level without fear of unpredictable gas price hikes. Less dependence on foreign intervention to preserve our "vital oil interests" will cause greater security at home and thus less justification for the 750 billion to a trillion dollars we spend annually on defense and foreign wars.
With our recent elections, economic crisis and misdirected broken down American auto industry, we are ready for a change that is transformational. We should look beyond spending billions of dollars per year to repair existing roads and bridges. The Honorable Chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee, Congressman Peter DeFazio, understands the fundamental transportation systems changes needed and will work hard in leading Congress to challenge 'big oil' interests and fund alternative transportation needs. Congress needs to allocate funding that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and, at the same time, will make domestic oil more economical to produce.
Governor Ted Kulongoski recently released his "Jobs and Transportation Act for 2009." For the sake of our children's future, the Act should at least contain partial funding for planning and developing separated freight and high speed passenger rail service between Eugene and Seattle by 2019. Maximum travel time of four hours should be the goal. A new high-speed train station built on the east bank of the Willamette River across from the Coliseum would act as the main transportation and tourism hub in the region with great connectivity to bikeways, streetcars and light rail. This same high-speed double track rail system could double as a commuter line from Portland's new station to a new station in Vancouver. A ten-minute non-stop rail commute between Vancouver and Portland could give a new perspective to Columbia River Crossing.
As a part of a larger transportation system, high speed and commute rail would be the ultimate in fuel efficiency and speed, and add to our greener lifestyle goals.