HIGH SPEED RAIL CONCEPT VISION SUBCOMMITTEE Mayor Kitty Piercy, Eugene Karmen Fore, Governor’s Sustainable Communities and Transportation Policy Advisor Dave Lohman, Oregon Transportation Commission John Russell, Russell Development Company Mark Frohnmayer, former Oregon Transportation Commissioner Andy Cotugno, Metro PROJECT TEAM Jim Cox, ODOT Project Manager Hal Gard, ODOT Bob Melbo, ODOT Stacy Snider, ODOT Catherine Ciarlo, CH2M HILL David Knowles, CH2M HILL Sumi Malik, CH2M HILL STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWEES Gerald Fox Ron Pate, Washington Department of Transportation Cascades Rail Corridor Director

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INTRODUCTION Stretching more than a hundred miles north to south in western Oregon, the Willamette Valley is home to 70 percent of the state’s 3.9 million residents. The valley is bookended on the south end by the cities of Eugene and Springfield (combined population 220,000) and on the north by the Portland metropolitan region (population 2.3 million). The capital city of Salem (population 158,000) is located 45 miles south of Portland. Numerous smaller cities line the corridor, interspersed with high-value agricultural land that is preserved (and protected from urban development) by Oregon’s land use planning laws. The major highway running through the Willamette Valley is Cities in the Willamette Valley have historically been connected Interstate 5 (I-5). The freeway carries both local and long- by north-south running railroad lines through the heart of the distance trips, linking the city of Portland with suburban valley. Today, the main line functions primarily as a freight rail communities just to the south. It connects Willamette Valley route owned by Union Pacific Railroad. Amtrak interstate towns and cities along the corridor, and serves as the major passenger rail service is also operated on the route. The sharing north-south freight route on the west coast. Traffic congestion of tracks causes schedule conflicts between freight and can make travel slow and unreliable throughout the corridor, passenger service, resulting in slower travel and uncertain arrival especially during peak travel times in the northern section times for passenger trains traveling between cities. between Portland and Salem.

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primarily of Willamette Valley elected officials. The OPR The Oregon Passenger Rail Project Leadership Council advises ODOT at key milestones. Scheduled In 2012, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the to be completed in 2017, the EIS and Service Development Plan Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) initiated the will serve as a foundation for future project development and Oregon Passenger Rail project (www.oregonpassengerrail.org) to help position Oregon to compete for federal funding. study ways to improve passenger rail service between the Two “build” alternatives have been selected for study in the Tier Eugene/Springfield area and the Columbia River, a 124-mile 1 Draft EIS: Alternative 1, which includes upgrades to the section of the federally designated Pacific Northwest Rail existing freight rail corridor to better accommodate passenger Corridor, which extends from Eugene north through Portland rail service, and Alternative 2, a new partially-separated and Seattle, Washington, to Vancouver, British Columbia. alignment alternative that generally follows the I-5 corridor, As part of the Oregon Passenger Rail (OPR) project, ODOT and shifting to the I-205 corridor in the South Portland metropolitan FRA are preparing a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) area. These alternatives reflect FRA, Leadership Council and and Service Development Plan for passenger rail between project team efforts to narrow the number of potential Eugene and the Columbia River. These documents will help alignments down to a set of feasible options for evaluation in the guide future decisions about rail alignment(s), station locations, Tier 1 EIS. Both alternatives are compatible with Washington and service characteristics, including the number of daily trips, State’s current and planned passenger rail service. With aximum travel time objectives, and whether future service will use diesel speeds of 110 mph, Alternative 2 would provide the fastest or electric technology. service. More information about the OPR alternatives can be found at www.oregonpassengerrail.org/page/routes. At the start of the OPR project, Oregon’s governor appointed a core advisory group known as the Leadership Council, comprised

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Why a High Speed Rail Concept Vision?  Examine the conditions that support High Speed Rail in other parts of the United States As alternatives have been developed and narrowed for analysis  Provide a high-level comparison of those conditions to in the OPR process, members of the Leadership Council and the Willamette Valley other stakeholders have expressed a desire to look at “true” high  Articulate potential benefits of future High Speed Rail speed rail in the Willamette Valley. This would be a faster  Serve as a foundational document and springboard for (greater than 125 miles per hour [mph]), exclusive rail alignment future planning efforts outside the constraints and beyond the 2035 time frame of the  Help position Oregon for future partnership and OPR project. This report was developed in response to the call funding opportunities to advance more reliable for a closer look at high speed rail. It also implements Policy 2.4 passenger rail service with shorter travel times in the in the Oregon Rail Plan, which calls for an exploration of the Willamette Valley feasibility and practicality of high speed passenger rail service in the Cascades corridor through corridor assessment, visioning Development of this Concept Vision has been guided by an work, and planning for improvement projects. This Concept advisory committee comprised of OPR Leadership Council co- Vision also provides a longer term context for investments in the chairs, Oregon State Rail Plan leadership, and technical experts. intervening years to upgrade speed, reliability and frequency. This document it is not intended to be a comprehensive look at options for high speed rail in the Willamette Valley. Rather, it is The purpose of this document is to outline an early conceptual meant to start a conversation about high speed rail that will vision for high speed rail in Oregon that complements the OPR undoubtedly continue – and evolve – in the coming decades. project and responds to the Oregon State Rail Plan policy previously described. The High Speed Rail Concept Vision is intended to:

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THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH SPEED Core Express Corridors. These routes connect large, urban areas up to 500 miles apart RAIL IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY with 2- to 3-hour travel times and train speeds between 125 and Definition of High Speed Rail 250 mph. Service is frequent and would operate on electrified, dedicated track that is publicly owned. Operation would be The FRA set out a vision for a national high speed rail program in between large, dense metropolitan regions. its 2010 document National Rail Plan, Moving Forward, A Regional Express Corridors Progress Report (FRA, 2010). This vision is based on a tiered system of passenger rail corridors that take into account This network would connect mid-sized urban areas, and smaller different local conditions – particularly travel markets – communities in between, with convenient, frequent 90- to throughout the United States. System “tiers” include Core 125-mph service on a mix of dedicated and shared track, Express Corridors and Regional Express Corridors. depending on the particular corridor (FRA, 2010).

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High Speed Rail Corridor Characteristics Around the United States, the corridors pursuing Core Express High Speed Rail (which include 125- to 250-mph speeds and Since 2009, a national nonprofit organization known as primarily dedicated track) connect densely developed and highly America 2050 has worked closely with FRA to develop guidelines populated cities: Washington, DC to Boston; Los Angeles to San that focus national high speed rail investments in corridors with Francisco; and Houston to Dallas. Population in these corridors the greatest demand for ridership. As outlined by America 2050, ranges between 11 and 40 million. By comparison, the FRA guidance emphasizes “megaregions” – large networks of Willamette Valley corridor is home to only 3 million residents. metropolitan areas where most of the population growth is Based largely on its population density (and by extension, expected – as corridors most appropriate for high speed rail. assumed potential ridership), the Willamette Valley has been With a total population of 8 million, the Eugene, Oregon, to identified as a Regional Express Corridor. As noted in the FRA Vancouver, British Columbia, corridor has been identified as the definition, this “level” of high speed rail includes trains that “Pacific Northwest” corridor (see Exhibit 1). travel between 90 and 125 mph on a mix of dedicated and shared track.

U.S. Intercity Passenger Rail Network

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Exhibit 2 compares a range of United States high speed rail Exhibit 2 provides context to help evaluate both near-term and corridors in varying stages of planning and development. It long-term investments that can help make high speed rail an identifies key threshold characteristics (population, route length, eventual reality between Eugene and Portland. The rows and distance between cities) of the corridors, and matches them showing estimated capital and operating costs reveal the order with a continuum of high speed rail alignment and service of magnitude differential between Core Express and Regional characteristics. Express service. This difference, in turn, highlights the importance of the threshold conditions – especially population and ridership projections – that define the travel market to be served by different levels of high speed rail investment.

EXHIBIT High Speed Rail 2 Corridors

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Threshold Conditions for High Speed Rail Like the map in Exhibit 1, the table shows that places with a population and distance comparable to the Eugene to Portland As shown in Exhibit 2, the United States regions currently corridor (as well as the Eugene to Vancouver, British Columbia, pursuing Core Express High Speed Rail encompass multiple large corridor) — Charlotte to Raleigh, Minneapolis to Duluth, and cities, with corridor populations ranging from 11 to 40 million. Madison to Milwaukee — are pursuing Regional Express service, These population densities set the stage for a higher level of as opposed to Core Express service. passenger rail ridership – a critically important factor given the Consistent with projects in other communities around the much higher capital and operating costs of Core Express service. United States with smaller cities and lower population density, both of the OPR alternatives anticipate using conventional diesel technology and partially shared track. Absent a significant increase in population or change in transit ridership patterns, it would be difficult to argue for the greater expense and higher impacts associated with Core Express service. Under today’s conditions, potential ridership is unlikely to be large enough to make exclusive, electrified service above 90 mph cost-effective for investors or affordable for users.

However, population can change over time – as can individual and community attitudes toward using transit to meet travel needs. While the projected population for the Eugene to Portland corridor in 2065 is still in the “Regional Corridors” range, any number of unknowns could affect that projection. For example, continued severe drought in the southwestern United States could result in a dramatic population increase due to migration into the Pacific Northwest. Other factors could change transit ridership patterns even if the region’s population grows at a more modest rate. Such factors could include:

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 A major shift in travel choices away from automobiles Why High Speed Rail? and towards transit and regional passenger rail. Several recent reports have documented a shift from driving to In an increasingly competitive global economy, the success of other travel modes among the “millennial generation,” cities will depend on efficient connections. Historically, those born between 1982 and 2003 (American Public connecting cities has encouraged them to prosper. In the Transportation Association, 2013). Growth of this trend Willamette Valley, future economic growth will depend to an could result in unprecedented transit ridership ever greater extent on the ability to move people and goods increases, setting the stage for more investment in high easily from city to suburb and city to city. Fast, frequent, reliable speed rail. passenger rail service from Portland to Salem to Eugene would,  Uncertainty about future energy resources in the in effect, bring those cities “closer together.” Shorter travel United States or a major policy change, such as a carbon times and the ability to avoid traffic congestion on I-5 would tax, could create greater demand for transit, regional strengthen connections among employment centers and major passenger rail, and ultimately high speed rail. educational institutions, reducing barriers and encouraging new  A strong desire for more walkable urban living spaces, technology clusters. Passenger rail, on exclusive tracks, would reinforced by land use policies, could spur compact preserve existing rail for goods movement. development that is more easily served by transit, By connecting urban centers and local transit systems, high making high speed rail a more cost-effective speed rail can increase the accessibility of cities with a lower infrastructure investment. cost of living for those working in major employment areas. It  Congestion on I-5 could worsen. Projected population can support Oregon’s land use goals by focusing development and freight increases, coupled with lack of funding to and redevelopment around stations in existing urban areas, expand the state’s highway system could lead to while protecting air quality through lower-emission travel. congestion on I-5 to the point of discouraging automobile trips. Worsening congestion could trigger Serving both business and leisure travel markets, high speed rail future policies aimed at preserving highway road offers safe, “hands free” travel that gives riders the option to capacity for freight and trips that cannot be work or use communications devices while in transit. By giving accommodated by another mode. travelers an alternative that is competitive with driving (especially between Portland and Salem), high speed rail has the While none of these conditions is certain, all are possible. The potential to reduce future traffic congestion on I-5 and protect high speed rail vision (Exhibit 3) is intended to acknowledge roadway capacity for freight movement and interstate travel. those possibilities several decades into the future, and to supplement the OPR nearer-term analysis of alternatives between 2014 and 2035.

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Finally, future investment in high speed rail can preserve capacity for freight rail movement by increasing the separation EXHIBIT Phased Implementation of freight and passenger rail infrastructure. 3 as Ridership Grows

This concept vision considers potential investment in high speed rail as a continuum, from existing conditions to future, fully exclusive, grade-separated electrified Core Express. A VISION FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL To address the conditions and advance the opportunities described above, the High Speed Rail Concept Vision Subcommittee set out the following vision for high speed rail in the Willamette Valley for 2035 and beyond: Building on a well-connected transit network that includes improved intercity passenger rail service, high speed rail improvements would provide a backbone of fast, efficient, frequent, and reliable service between Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia. In combination with local transit services and emerging technologies that help users make “last mile” connections, high speed rail service would increase job access, link communities and major educational institutions, and connect potential customers to goods and services.

In response to future population increases or changes in travel patterns that warrant a higher level of service, high speed rail connecting Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, would serve as an energy-efficient travel option that could reduce pressure on the I-5 freeway system. This is consistent with Oregon land use laws calling for reduced reliance on the automobile, and state policies (including the newly- revised State Rail Plan) that set goals for a balanced, integrated transportation system with modal choices for the movement of people and goods.

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Implementing the Vision EARLY STEPS TOWARD The vision articulated above is grounded in today’s population ACHIEVING THE VISION realities and ridership estimates. At the same time, it embraces the opportunity to “ramp up” both ambitions and investment for By recommending further study of Willamette Valley high speed high speed rail in the Willamette Valley, incrementally improving Rail in the State Rail Plan and leading the OPR planning process, the system linking to Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. As the state of Oregon and ODOT set out the intention to include shown in Exhibit 3 above, greater investment in high speed rail high speed rail in the conversation about our future would be triggered over time as population grows, transportation system. What lies ahead are stepwise actions to demographics shift, and ridership increases. refine, fund, and implement the vision articulated in this report. Important early steps include the following: Four levels (or phases) of potential investment are presented in Exhibit 3. Each level serves an important function in its own right Maintain current investment levels in Amtrak Cascades – and each builds on prior phases toward an entirely exclusive, service electrified high speed rail line linking Eugene to Portland and Today, Amtrak and the state of Oregon make an annual larger cities to the north. investment in maintaining passenger rail service and safety on In addition to high speed rail improvements, other transit the Union Pacific Railroad-owned freight rail tracks connecting system investments would reinforce and leverage these Portland, Salem, and Eugene. This investment is critical to investments. Rapid, reliable service on a mainline route is more preserve passenger rail access and keep the corridor active into likely to be heavily used if it is part of a seamless system the future. providing door-to-door connections. Such a system would rely Make system improvements that build ridership on multi-modal “last mile” connections to high speed rail at both ends of the trip. These could include a range of services, from Since 2005, Washington and Oregon have committed local transit connections to car and bike sharing to on-demand funding toward specific passenger rail improvements. During taxi services and other new technologies. that period, ridership has grown. Because moving upward on the high speed rail development continuum in Exhibit 3 requires an Finally, given the number of distinct smaller cities in the increase in ridership, near-term investments that make service Willamette Valley and the relatively short distances between more efficient and attractive are critical to the long-term vision them, commuter connections between communities can for high speed rail. leverage and complement high speed rail infrastructure. These could include light rail in the Portland region, commuter rail, and regional bus service throughout the Willamette Valley.

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Work with local transit agencies to coordinate a unified The Willamette Valley is at a unique moment in our history. We mechanism for fare payment to encourage the linkage can look ahead and see how high speed rail can advance future of intercity and local transit trips. prosperity and economic growth – but seizing that opportunity will require deliberate choices. The steps described in this report Partner with Washington State to examine the potential outline an early path toward those choices. for bi-state Core Express beyond 2035. Together, establish ridership-based “triggers” for additional investment as conditions change and ridership grows.

Work with freight rail owners to streamline and coordinate existing and future operations with steps such as identifying compatible freight and passenger timetables.

Consider statewide policy direction to preserve future freight capacity on I-5 by investing in rail improvements.

As station area redevelopment occurs around rail stations in Eugene, Salem, and Portland, preserve space for service expansion (including parking, transit connections, car-sharing or car rental, and other amenities).

Work with local transit agencies to coordinate station- area access and create seamless, door-to-door travel options.

11 RESOURCES AND REFERENCES

Resources consulted to develop this report included the following: FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 2010. National Rail Plan, Moving Forward, A Progress Report. Federal Railroad Administration Budget Estimates (Fiscal Year 2015). Federal Railroad Administration (2009). Vision for High Speed Rail in America, High Speed Rail Strategic Plan OREGON Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) 2014. Oregon Passenger Rail: Eugene – Portland. http://www.oregonpassengerrail.org/. Accessed October 9, 2014. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) 2014. Oregon State Rail Plan Public Review draft, September 18. http://www.oregon.gov/odot/td/tp/pages/railplan.aspx#State_Rail_Plan:_Public_Review_Draft. Accessed October 9, 2014. WASHINGTON Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) 2014. State Rail Plan. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/rail/staterailplan.htm. Accessed October 9, 2014. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) 2008. Washington State Amtrak Cascades Mid-Range Plan. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) 2006. Washington Long-Range Plan for Amtrak Cascades. CASE STUDY RESOURCES Amtrak Vision for the Northeast Corridor: 2012 Update Report Connecting California: 2014 Business Plan, California High Speed Rail. Texas Central Railway 2014. www.texascentral.com. Accessed October 9, 2014. LOSSSAN Corridorwide Strategic Implementation Plan, 2012. Los Angeles to San Diego Proposed Rail Corridor Improvements Final Program EIR/EIS, 2007 Southeast High Speed Rail Tier I Final EIS, 2002. Northern Lights Express Environmental Assessment, 2013. Milwaukee to Madison High Speed Rail Environmental Assessment, 2011. Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. Demographic Forecast. County Population Forecasts, 2010-2050 (2013 release). http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/oea/Pages/demographic.aspx. Accessed July 21, 2014. OTHER DOCUMENTS High Speed Rail in America, America 2050, 2011. American Transportation Association. 2013. Millennials & Mobility: Understanding the Millennial Mindset, American Public Transportation Association, 2013.

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APPENDIX A: RESOURCES USED FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL CORRIDORS TABLE (EXHIBIT 2) All Corridors

United States Department of Transportation. 2014. FRA FY 2015 Budget Estimates. http://www.dot.gov/mission/budget/fra-fy-2015- budget-estimates. Accessed July 19, 2014. Corridor-Specific Resources

WASHINGTON-BOSTON (NEC) Amtrak. 2012. Amtrak Vision for the Northeast Corridor: 2012 Update Report. http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/453/325/Amtrak-Vision-for- the-Northeast-Corridor.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014.

LOS ANGELES TO SAN FRANCISCO (CAHSR) California High-Speed Rail Authority. 2014. Connecting California: Draft 2014 Business Plan. http://www.hsr.ca.gov/docs/about/business_plans/FINAL_Draft_2014_Business_Plan.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014.

California High-Speed Rail Authority. Connecting California: 2014 Business Plan Ridership and Revenue Technical Memorandum, Draft 2014 Business Plan: Section 4: Ridership and Revenue Forecasts. http://www.hsr.ca.gov/docs/about/business_plans/BPlan_2014drft__Ridership_Revenue.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014.

HOUSTON-DALLAS Texas Central Railway. 2014. http://texascentral.com/. Accessed October 10, 2014.

LOS ANGELES-SAN DIEGO HNTB. 2012. Final LOSSSAN Corridorwide Strategic Implementation Plan. April. http://www.sandag.org/uploads/projectid/projectid_260_14371.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014.

Caltrans. 2013. Final Service Development Plan: Pacific Surfliner South Corridor. http://www.octa.net/pdf/Final_2013_Pacific_Surfliner_South_SDP.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014.

LOSSAN. 2007. Los Angeles to San Diego Proposed Rail Corridor Improvements Final Program EIR/EIS. ftp://ftpx.sandag.org/sandag/pub/LOSSAN%20Baseline%20Documents/2007%20LOSSAN%20EIR%20EIS/. Accessed October 10, 2014.

PORTLAND-VANCOUVER BC Washington State Department of Transportation, Freight Systems Division. 2006. Long-Range Plan for Amtrak Cascades. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/nr/rdonlyres/ae671cc5-6633-4bf2-9041-fb328adb1f31/0/longrangeplanforamtrakcascades.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014.

CHARLOTTE-RALEIGH U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Railroad Administration. 2002. Southeast High Speed Rail Tier I Final EIS. October 1. https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0427. Accessed October 10, 2014.

U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Railroad Administration. 2004. Technical Monograph: Transportation Planning for the Richmond-Charlotte Railroad Corridor. Volumes I and II. http://www.sehsr.org/reports/rich_vol_1.pdf and Volume II: http://www.sehsr.org/reports/rich_vol_2.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014. Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor (SESHSR) Feasibility Report - Ridership http://www.sehsr.org/reports/feasibility/chapter9.html

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MINNEAPOLIS-DULUTH U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Railroad Administration. 2013. Environmental Assessment, Northern Lights Express High Speed Passenger Rail Project from Minneapolis to Duluth, Minnesota. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/nlx/documents/nlx-evironmental- assessment.pdf. Accessed October 10, 2014.

Minnesota Department of Transportation. 2014. Northern Lights Express. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/nlx/documents.html. Accessed October 10, 2014.

MILWAUKEE-MADISON Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 2001. Milwaukee to Madison High Speed Rail Environmental Assessment. http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/1/WIDAG/2007/09/12/0000072978/viewer/file1.html. Accessed October 10, 2014.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 2009. Milwaukee-Madison High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Service Financial Plan. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8uRO8SKJpXoJ:dailyreporter.com/files/2010/02/rail- grant.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us. Accessed October 10, 2014.

EUGENE-PORTLAND 2065 Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. Demographic Forecast. http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/oea/Pages/demographic.aspx. Accessed July 21, 2014.

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