(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
announced that Washington state will receive $15 million for a critical rail
transportation project that will increase efficiency in and around the Port of
Vancouver. The project includes construction of a grade-separated railroad
crossing for the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor over the freight rail mainline
serving the Port. The project is funded through a competitive grant process
from the Department of Transportation and will eliminate delays caused by
conflicts between passenger trains and freight trains accessing the Port.
Amtrak has estimated that this project will improve on-time-performance by as
much as 8 percent.
“I’m
so glad that Washington state was awarded funding to help build the critical
infrastructure that is needed for communities in Southwest Washington to
compete in the 21st century economy,” said Senator Murray. “This
project is especially important as the Port of Vancouver undergoes construction
to expand and improve the efficiency of its freight operations. Eliminating the
bottleneck caused by the current railroad crossing will ensure that the Port
and passenger train services can both function efficiently and at full
capacity.”
“This
project is a major step forward in creating jobs and improving key
transportation infrastructure in Southwest Washington to fuel economic growth,” said Senator Cantwell.
“The Port of Vancouver’s freight access project is critical to eliminating
points of congestion, expanding port access, and creating family-wage jobs.
This investment will create construction jobs, and reduce delays for passengers
and freight at a key intersection along the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor.
These rail improvements will spur Southwest Washington job growth and economic
development for years to come.”
Last
year, Senator Murray announced
that through a program she created, the Port of Vancouver would receive $10
million for shovel-ready construction projects to increase the capacity and
efficiency of the port. The funding was part of the Transportation Investments
Generating Economic Recover (TIGER II) program that Senator Murray create to
invest in major transportation projects that create jobs and bolster regional
economies.
Senator
Cantwell is a long-time supporter of improved freight mobility to support
economic growth, including at the Port of Vancouver. Cantwell, along with
Senators Murray and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), introduced legislation in February
that would establish America’s first comprehensive national freight
transportation policy to support a growing trade economy. The FREIGHT (Focusing
Resources, Economic Investment, and Guidance to Help Transportation)
Act would ensure America’s global economic competitiveness by modernizing the
nation’s freight transportation system to support the quick and cost-effective
movement of goods.
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