“It’s about a lot more than transportation,” said Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation for the state of Washington. “It’s about opportunities and connections for the entire mega region, carrying us into the future and providing better access to jobs, affordable housing, sharing resources, increasing collaboration, and addressing more economic prosperity and a cleaner environment.”

State Rep. Andrea Olsen, like other advocates, sees passenger rail as a vital economic tool with untapped potential. But it also serves other goals that don’t get much attention, such as reducing highway deaths in bad weather, addressing climate change, and punctuating the role transportation plays in local economies.