Earlier this month America 2050 sponsored a two-day planning charrette in Portland, Oregon with stakeholders along the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor - stretching from Vancouver, British Columbia to Eugene, Oregon to develop a vision for an integrated Cascadia megaregion enabled by high-speed rail.

Building on America 2050's research on Where High-Speed Rail Works Best the workshop sought to explore the economic, land use, urban design, and transportation strategies and investments necessary to fully leverage federal, state, provincial, and local investments in high-speed rail in this binational corridor. The workshop was an opportunity to broaden the focus of regional leaders on how high-speed rail can help advance larger goals for Cascadia as a more interconnected, sustainable, and prosperous megaregion.

To learn more, you can download the detailed briefing book of background information prepared for workshop participants. You can also access America 2050's original map of the Cascadia megaregion prepared for the workshop, which synthesizes transportation, land use, and the regional planning strategies of the entire megaregion on the America 2050 Maps Page (scroll to the bottom of the page.) A summary of workshop proceedings and next steps will be posted here soon.

America 2050 will join the U.S. High Speed Rail Association at its conference June 17-18 at Hilton Universal City, in Los Angeles, California.

Click here for more information on speakers and the agenda and here to register.  

The Department of Transportation is holding workshops as part of a participatory outreach process to develop the Nation's first-ever National Rail Plan (NRP).  America 2050 encourages regional stakeholders to attend the workshop in your area, and let the FRA know your thoughts and concerns about the national rail plan:

The workshops will be held in 5 cities across the United States so that those interested in promoting increased investment in rail and the benefits of doing so are able to contribute to the dialogue. The meetings are open to the public, but discussions will be tailored for those who are knowledgeable about freight and passenger rail planning and operations.

The Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management is pleased to present High-Speed Rail: Leveraging Federal Investment Locally, co-sponsored by Parsons Brinckerhoff and Bombardier.

Date:   June 16, 2010
Time:   8:30am to 1:45pm
Where: NYU Kimmel Center, 60 Washington Square South, NYC

Please join us for this symposium, which will enhance the national dialogue on high-speed rail investment through a focus on how new facilities will be linked to existing regional transportation infrastructure and how they might advance economic development efforts. In addition, there will be an examination of the political challenges facing new rail infrastructure in a democratic nation where land use is controlled locally and private landownership is a major factor, with lessons drawn from the European experience. 

America 2050 joined over a dozen national and regional advocacy groups and the FourBillion.com campaign today at Washington's D.C.'s Union Station to call on Congress to raise the high-speed rail appropriation to $4 billion, along with full funding of Amtrak at $2.6 billion.

Download the Press Release.

Tues, May 11, 2010 at the Capitol Club at Union Station, Washington, D.C. The Federal Railroad Administration is now developing a long-range
national plan for passenger and freight rail. This panel discussion brought together key U.S. stakeholders and a leading
British high-speed
rail advocate to discuss the components of the plan.

Download presentations and audio from the event after the jump.

A coalition of transportation groups have come together to call on Congress to "keep high-speed rail moving" and appropriate $4 billion for high-speed rail and fully fund Amtrak's request of $2.6 billion in the FY 2011 budget.

They will hold a press conference on Tuesday, May 11, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Capitol Club at Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC  20002 The press conference will follow a morning panel discussion at the Capitol Club on forging a national rail plan.

We will be joined by members of Congress and representatives of the sponsoring organizations, including: Fourbillion.com, America 2050, Transportation for America, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, U.S. High-Speed Rail Association, Midwest High-Speed Rail Association, Southeast High Speed Rail Association, Business Alliance for Northeast Mobility, American High Speed Rail Alliance, American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO), OneRail Coalition.

The press conference is open to the public and RSVP is not required.