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Harbour to Harbor
Oil by Rail
​Autonomous Vehicles
Leadership
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About

PNWER's Transportation working group focuses on the infrastructure of our major corridors and gateways, with a special interest on border infrastructure. 

Major focus areas of this group include:
The Transportation working group is also closely linked to the Infrastructure Finance working group. Please click here for more information.

Webinar Presentations and Recordings

Road & Rail: Safety in Separation
June 4, 2020
Watch the Recording Here
Click Here for Presentation Slides
Click Here for Background Resources
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Resources

Action Items & Findings
2019 Action Items - Transportation & Infrastructure
Write letter of support from PNWER urging the U.S. to issue a Presidential Permit for Alaska to Alberta (A2A) project.
Hold legislative panel in Big Sky 2020 on ACES, 5G connected technologies, harmonizing regulations, Smart cities, includes Smart communities focusing on rural development through 5G and other technologies to maintain economic prosperity
Support requests to U.S. DOT to assist with $25 million to continue maintenance of Alaska-Canada highway that goes through Yukon and B.C.
2019 Findings - Transportation & Infrastructure
It was noted that the Transportation working group should collaborate with the Border working group; Cascadia Innovation Corridor; and state, provincial, and federal agencies to promote the testing of autonomous vehicles (personal and commercial) on the I-5 and Hwy 99 corridor.
Idaho DOT will continue to be a leader on harmonizing trucking regulations among 5 NW states and showcase similar improvements in Western Canada provinces.
Summit Archive
Presentations
News & Links
Summit Agenda
  • 2019 Summit - Saskatoon
  • 2018 Summit - Spokane
  • 2017 Summit - Portland
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Welcome and Overview of Innovative Infrastructure Finance Taskforce
Investing in American and Canadian infrastructure from public and private resources has rarely been higher on the political agenda of the two countries as it is today. PNWER is seeking to expand the public private partnership initiative through a federally sanctioned regional accelerator. This session will explore the latest developments in Washington D.C. and local and private sector responses. 

The federal government and PNWER regional accelerator: 
Session will examine fast tracking public-private partnerships (P3’s) and existing federal credit and loan programs (Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) and Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF).  The Trump Administration proposes to replace the FASTLANE program with the $1.5 billion INFRA program. 
 
Can P3s enhance  project delivery and permit reform? Why do we need them in limited resource and lower expertise environments? What purpose do they serve for urban regions (Vancouver B.C., Seattle- Tacoma, Portland) and rural regions (Port of Everett, Washington and Kalispell, Montana)?
 
Moderated by Leslie Blakely, President, Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors
 
Federal Government
  • Shawn Bills, State Director, Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Washington
  • Ree Armitage, Field Liaison, Office of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Oregon
 
State and local government response: designing state and local initiatives to leverage federal infrastructure initiatives  
  • Tobias Read, Treasurer, State of Oregon
  • Justin Ashford, Principal Consultant, Advisory Services, WSP USA  
  • Michael Catsi, Director, Business Development and Communications, Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
  • Jeannie Beckett, The Beckett Group
 
Columbia River I-5 Bridge Replacement Project
  • Rep. Sharon Wylie, Washington State Legislature
 
University Partnerships and Applied Research
  • Ahmed Elayouty, Co-founder, Pacific Hyperloop, University of Washington
 
Canada accelerates P3s; opportunities for Northwest states 
Canada is recognized as the global leader in building effective P3’s with more than 250 projects with a total capital value of over $120 billion. Between 2003 and 2012, P3 projects in Canada generated $15 billion in direct GDP, nearly 300,000 in direct, full-time equivalent jobs, and $7.5 billion in direct tax revenue to governments across Canada. 

  • Mark Romoff, President and CEO, Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships
 
Performance-based Infrastructure on the West Coast
Moderated by Mark Romoff of the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships
  • Scott Boardman, Acting Executive Director, West Coast Infrastructure Exchange
  • Anthony Buckley, Director, Innovative Partnerships, Washington State Department of Transportation
 
Successful Leadership in Private-Public Partnerships
  • Mass Transit: Canada Line serving downtown Vancouver and Vancouver International Airport
 
Advancing the Cascadia Innovation Corridor and Enhancing Cross-Border Connections
  • High Speed Rail in the Pacific Northwest
    • Charles Knutson, Senior Policy Advisor, Transportation and Economic Development, Office of Governor Inslee
Webinars & Resources
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Harbour to Harbor

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PNWER has long supported “Harbour to Harbor” seaplane service between Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle, Washington. British Columbia and Washington state share significant economic and cultural ties including the remarkably successful Two Nation Vacation initiative that has attracted international visitors and accelerated joint infrastructure and high technology investments.

“Harbour to Harbor” is an important addition to the rich mix of highway, rail, ferry, cruise ship, seaplane and fixed wing aircraft transportation operations that uniquely defines our bi-national region. Vancouver and Seattle share similar innovative, risk-taking cultures and a one hour “Harbour to Harbor” seaplane connection will accelerate the “Cascadia Innovative Corridor” initiative launched by Microsoft and others that has expanded cross-border employment and attracted world wide talent to the region.
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Our regional border security agency leaders also have a well-deserved reputation for cross border cooperation and effectiveness in partnering with private sector transportation providers in deploying innovative, technology based procedures for enhanced security. “Harbour to Harbor” seaplane service affords Transport Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency a new and exciting venue to continue to showcase Canada’s innovative approach.

Additional resources and information can be found on the Tourism working group page here.
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Oil By Rail

Since 2012, the transportation of crude oil by freight rail has been rapidly increasing in Washington and other states in the Pacific Northwest. The spate of recent derailments in Canada and the U.S. has led to new regulations in oil train operations and tank car construction, along with an increased local desire for transparency and accountability in regards to oil train routing and scheduling. In order to address these issues, the Center for Regional Disaster Resilience has begun to explore oil freight rail transportation and safety as part of its Program Areas.

Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) and the Center for Regional Disaster Resilience (CRDR) hosted an Oil Train Safety Symposium at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Washington on April 27, 2016. The Transportation Working Group, co-chaired by Sen. Chuck Winder, Idaho, and Bruce Agnew, Director, Cascadia Center for Regional Development, has addressed oil by rail concerns at recent PNWER meetings.

This symposium provided a comprehensive overview of the current and future status of oil by rail transportation and emphasize partnerships to help ensure oil transport safety is being addressed across the region. By fostering dialogue between public and private sector entities, PNWER and CRDR hope to increase mutual understanding of oil train safety issues in a broad and holistic manner by including stakeholders from all parts of the supply chain both in the U.S. and Canada. The Symposium agenda is still under development; topics will include an overview of the transportation of hazardous material by rail, the driving factors behind the rise of oil transportation by rail, potential safety hazards, incident response, and planning for future movement of other fuel products. 

​Find the event report, presentation, and oil safety news here.
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Autonomous, Connected Electric Shared Vehicles

Transportation technology can deliver us from viaduct-closure gridlock - Seattle Times, Jan. 7 2019
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Leadership

Bruce Agnew
Director
Cascadia Institute
Co-chair
Sen. Chuck Winder
State Senator
Idaho State Legislature
Co-chair

PNWER Staff
Betz Mayer
Program Coordinator, PNWER​
betz.mayer@pnwer.org
p: 206-443-7723
f: 206-443-7703
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