Bellingham leader says public demand for rail exists, but money does not
October 11, 2011
By: JuliAnne Rose
BELLINGHAM, WA – One of the most ardent supporters for upgrading passenger rail service in the Pacific Northwest says selling the idea without the proper infrastructure already in place is not an easy proposition.
“I think there is a public demand, but it’s hard to prove the demand if you don’t provide the facilities,” Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike said during a recent interview with Pacific Lutheran University’s MediaLab. “People can’t use what they don’t have.”
Pike, a vocal enthusiast for enhanced rail service in the “Cascadia Region,” which stretches from Vancouver, B.C. through Western Washington to Portland, Ore., said higher speed, dependable passenger trains would be a boon to his city and many others along the route.
“People here, as is true of most places I’ve been, really like rail,” Pike said.
The problem is, according to Pike, in order for public or private investments in infrastructure to become attractive, demand must be evident. This “chicken and egg” quandary leaves few transportation options, especially for residents seeking to travel to large, urban regional centers such Seattle or Vancouver.
Although buses and existing slower speed rail are alternatives, for many travelers, the flexibility and convenience of cars continues to be their default option.
“One of the big frustrations in my community,” Pike said, “is the inconvenience of the rail travel we have.”
Pike, who was the Skagit Council of Governments Transportation director for five years prior to becoming Bellingham’s mayor, speaks with authority on such issues. For instance, Pike said rail service is currently not frequent enough to make inter-city day trips via rail worthwhile to the average person.
At the same time, however, more efficient ways than cars are needed to move people from place to place, said Pike. Congestion and environmental degradation continue to be leading arguments for those who promote rail transportation improvement.
The introduction of higher-speed trains that had travel times close or equal to those of cars and buses would make passenger rail more competitive.
It “allows people to make choices that have a lower greenhouse gas or environmental footprint,” Pike said.
The City of Bellingham, a college town with an estimated population of 81,000, in recent years has implemented sustainability and environmental protection measures. Train proponents such as Pike say establishment of a high-speed rail corridor would provide travelers with rapid and convenient access to major cities such as Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, which would expand economic development for his city and the entire region.
For example, Pike speculates that if Bellingham were to become a node on a new high-speed network, companies would be enticed to relocate and grow, which would mean increased economic activity.
The catch, however, is that such growth would require significant up-front financial investment. The Cascadia Center, a Seattle-based public policy organization that specializes in transportation issues, estimates that dependent upon configuration, engineering and other factors, funding for new, higher speed rail between the Canadian Border and Oregon could cost upwards of $1 billion.
Such investment almost certainly would mean that trains could travel at higher speeds than they do currently, and at increased frequency.
But money to upgrade the infrastructure would have to come from somewhere, said Pike, which is a serious challenge given the global economy and the budget stalemates in Washington, D.C.
Nonetheless, Pike contends that transportation needs in the U.S. demand serious consideration and immediate action.
“High-speed rail,” Pike said, “has to be a national priority.”
October 11, 2011
By: JuliAnne Rose
BELLINGHAM, WA – One of the most ardent supporters for upgrading passenger rail service in the Pacific Northwest says selling the idea without the proper infrastructure already in place is not an easy proposition.
“I think there is a public demand, but it’s hard to prove the demand if you don’t provide the facilities,” Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike said during a recent interview with Pacific Lutheran University’s MediaLab. “People can’t use what they don’t have.”
Pike, a vocal enthusiast for enhanced rail service in the “Cascadia Region,” which stretches from Vancouver, B.C. through Western Washington to Portland, Ore., said higher speed, dependable passenger trains would be a boon to his city and many others along the route.
“People here, as is true of most places I’ve been, really like rail,” Pike said.
The problem is, according to Pike, in order for public or private investments in infrastructure to become attractive, demand must be evident. This “chicken and egg” quandary leaves few transportation options, especially for residents seeking to travel to large, urban regional centers such Seattle or Vancouver.
Although buses and existing slower speed rail are alternatives, for many travelers, the flexibility and convenience of cars continues to be their default option.
“One of the big frustrations in my community,” Pike said, “is the inconvenience of the rail travel we have.”
Pike, who was the Skagit Council of Governments Transportation director for five years prior to becoming Bellingham’s mayor, speaks with authority on such issues. For instance, Pike said rail service is currently not frequent enough to make inter-city day trips via rail worthwhile to the average person.
At the same time, however, more efficient ways than cars are needed to move people from place to place, said Pike. Congestion and environmental degradation continue to be leading arguments for those who promote rail transportation improvement.
The introduction of higher-speed trains that had travel times close or equal to those of cars and buses would make passenger rail more competitive.
It “allows people to make choices that have a lower greenhouse gas or environmental footprint,” Pike said.
The City of Bellingham, a college town with an estimated population of 81,000, in recent years has implemented sustainability and environmental protection measures. Train proponents such as Pike say establishment of a high-speed rail corridor would provide travelers with rapid and convenient access to major cities such as Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, which would expand economic development for his city and the entire region.
For example, Pike speculates that if Bellingham were to become a node on a new high-speed network, companies would be enticed to relocate and grow, which would mean increased economic activity.
The catch, however, is that such growth would require significant up-front financial investment. The Cascadia Center, a Seattle-based public policy organization that specializes in transportation issues, estimates that dependent upon configuration, engineering and other factors, funding for new, higher speed rail between the Canadian Border and Oregon could cost upwards of $1 billion.
Such investment almost certainly would mean that trains could travel at higher speeds than they do currently, and at increased frequency.
But money to upgrade the infrastructure would have to come from somewhere, said Pike, which is a serious challenge given the global economy and the budget stalemates in Washington, D.C.
Nonetheless, Pike contends that transportation needs in the U.S. demand serious consideration and immediate action.
“High-speed rail,” Pike said, “has to be a national priority.”