Larsen Pushes for High-Speed Rail Projects in the 2nd District
Washington, DC,
March 8, 2011
Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) sent a letter to Paula Hammond, Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), advocating for WSDOT to prioritize high-speed rail projects in the Everett-north corridor. Last month, Larsen sent a letter to Ray LaHood, Secretary of the US Department of Transportation, advocating for Washington state to receive high-speed rail funds rejected by the state of Florida. “The train service from Everett to the Canadian border keeps our local economy moving and is popular with commuters and tourists in the region,” said Rep. Larsen. “There are several ready-to-go projects in my district that will create good jobs and provide a much-needed boost to our local economy.” Text of the full letter follows: March 8, 2011 Paula Hammond Dear Secretary Hammond: Congratulations on completing the stakeholder agreement and cooperative agreement that will allow Washington State to begin investing in our high-speed rail system and creating jobs in our local communities. I write to request that the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) prioritize some of your high-speed rail investments in the Everett-north corridor. The service from Everett to the Canadian border is critical to our local communities and a key component of economic growth. The Everett-north corridor contains several WSDOT proposed projects, including the Blaine-Swift Customs Facility Siding, Cascades Corridor Reliability Upgrades-North, Everett-Storage Track, Bellingham Main Line Relocation, and Everett-Curve Realignment. These projects have strong potential for improving on-time performance, enhancing safety and reliability, and creating jobs in our local communities. Although I realize the regional importance of the Seattle south corridor, the Everett-north corridor is also popular with commuters and tourists and has several highly rated, ready-to-go projects. Thank you for your attention to this request. I stand ready to assist you as WSDOT moves forward with high-speed rail investment and applies for additional high-speed rail funds from the Federal government. Sincerely, Rick Larsen ### |