Canada's prime minister committed C$321 million to a series of transportation projects in the Vancouver area, aiming to make British Columbia the crossroads of choice for trade between Asia and North America.
The investment underscores the importance of smarter development in the Puget Sound region. Current projects, such as a regional mobility plan and Seattle's freight mobility program, may not be enough to benefit from surging growth in and through Cascadia.
The Canadian funding is part of C$591 million already pledged for the Asia-Pacific Gateway project, which aims to complement projects at the Vancouver port and to prepare for the 2010 Olympics. Among the first steps are a highway link to the Deltaport container facility, a new South Fraser perimeter highway and a series of road and rail overpasses.
Other investment will go to improving border shipments and to developing the port in Prince Rupert. It's unclear how much of the money -- if any -- would go to improving passenger rail service between Vancouver and the international border, which is currently the main choke point for improved service to Seattle.