Projects
About our projects: After two years of community engagement and outreach, and providing extensive technical assistance, the PNWER Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) was awarded a second grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to continue and expand its work throughout the five-state PNWER region of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The PNWER RIA team embarked on building an expanded suite of projects by evaluating regional and national priorities and measuring whether innovating financing programs like TIFIA and RRIF would accelerate project delivery.
The projects listed below were ultimately accepted and adopted into the RIA’s portfolio of work after extensive engagement and outreach to legislators, state DOT staff, local transportation staff and subrecipient organizations. Projects are broken into four program areas that constitute the PWNER RIA’s areas of expertise. Learn more about each project below.
High Performance Rail
The High Performance Rail program area encapsulates the PNWER RIA’s multi-stakeholder approach to rail. High Performance Rail identifies, evaluates and pursues multiple rail improvement projects that, when bundled, will significantly reduce passenger train delays and improve freight velocity along major northwest rail corridors.
Cascades Corridor Rail and Port Investment Strategy | Vancouver, WA to Eugene, OR
The PNWER RIA will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to identify and bundle rail improvement projects to enhance daily corridor performance along the Amtrak Cascades route.
Small Parcel Delivery Study | MT
The study will explore the small business economic benefits and feasibility of restoring small parcel delivery service on Amtrak trains in Montana.
Rural Rail Community Outreach | MT
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority will reach out to rural communities in Montana along the Empire Builder and North Coast Hiawatha passenger rail routes to better understand the rail-related challenges communities face, and opportunities for better collaboration.
Regional Rail Working Group | WA, OR, ID, MT
A rail working group will be established by the PNWER RIA to convene leaders and partners to discuss challenges and opportunities for the Pacific Northwest’s freight and passenger rail system until a more formal authority is formed.
Boise Cut-Off Feasibility Analysis | Nampa to Boise, ID
The PNWER RIA will support VRT in determining eligibility for RRIF financing to enhance the 11-mile Boise Cut-Off.
Pines Road Highway-Rail Grade Separation | Spokane Valley, WA
The PNWER RIA assisted the City of Spokane Valley in securing additional funding to support its highway-rail grade separation project on Pines Road.
Zero-Emission Commercial Refueling
The zero-emission commercial refueling corridor initiative plans for refueling infrastructure that will serve medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles. This approach is technology-neutral and considers battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and other alternative fuel technologies. The PNWER RIA will work with Northwest Tribes, legislators and industry leaders to accelerate systems integration of transportation networks with existing and proposed clean energy facilities for the decarbonization of our region’s commercial transportation sector.
Umpqua Indian Development Corporation ZEV Commercial Refueling Facilities | I-5 / Roseburg / Canyonville, OR
The PNWER RIA will work with partners to analyze funding opportunities for medium- and heavy-duty EV charging for rural buses and commercial vehicles.
St. Regis Zero-Emission Refueling and EV Fast Charging Facility | I-90 at St. Regis, MT
The PNWER RIA will provide support in exploring benefits and costs of installing zero-emission refueling infrastructure and coordinate with other Northwest Hydrogen Hub “nodes”.
Drayage Emission Reduction | Seattle / Tacoma, WA
The PNWER RIA seeks to identify and blend private capital with state and federal public financing options for zero-emission drayage truck acquisition and heavy-duty vehicle charging infrastructure.
Critical Connections
The Critical Connections initiative bolsters the upgrade and enhancement of connective infrastructure, such as bridges, ports, airports and ferry systems that provide critical access to communities - especially those in rural and Tribal jurisdictions. Through the provision of technical assistance, the PNWER RIA identifies and evaluates projects eligible for federal financing solutions offered through the Build America Bureau to deliver improved community connectivity to the Pacific Northwest.
Hood River/White Salmon Bridge Replacement | Hood River, OR / White Salmon, WA
The PNWER RIA will support the Bridge Authority in navigating federal credit program gap financing for the replacement of the Hood River/White Salmon Bridge.
Yakutat Transportation Infrastructure | Yakutat, AK
The PNWER RIA will support the city and borough in pursuing innovative financing strategies to bolster the replacement of the Small Boat Harbor, repair of Max Italio Drive and extension of a multi-purpose dock.
College of Western Idaho Housing & Transit Joint Development | Treasure Valley, ID
The PNWER RIA will support Valley Regional Transit (VRT) in exploring TIFIA eligibility for transit infrastructure at CWI’s new campus location.
Canyon County Feasibility Analysis | Canyon County, ID
The PNWER RIA will partner with VRT to identify opportunities for the redevelopment of a transit center serving Canyon County, ID.
The Build Northwest Center of Excellence is the PNWER RIA’s overarching platform for all outreach and community engagement work, offering educational initiatives on innovative financing tools to project sponsors, legislators, and communities.
Legislator Outreach & Education | AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Build Northwest will provide education modules to state legislators to foster a better understanding of how Build America Bureau financing mechanisms can benefit their communities. Build Northwest will also provide education on various Pacific Northwest infrastructure systems.
Project Sponsor Educational Workshops | AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Build Northwest will host in-person training events for project sponsors to increase regional knowledge and understanding of the Build America Bureau’s TIFIA and RRIF financing programs
Technical Assistance Webinars | AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Build Northwest will partner with other technical assistance providers to host free, public technical assistance webinars to inform communities and project sponsors about innovative financing solutions and other federal funding opportunities.
Alaska TIFIA / RRIF Financing Work Plan | AK
Build Northwest is partnering with Alaska Municipal League to develop a TIFIA and RRIF financing work plan to accelerate Alaska’s transportation infrastructure project delivery.
Project Partners
Alaska Municipal League (AML): A member-based service organization composed of Alaska’s local governments that works to strengthen Alaska’s cities and boroughs through the provision of technical assistance.
Valley Regional Transit (VRT): Treasure Valley, Idaho’s regional public transportation authority, responsible for the management of public bus transit, specialized van services, paratransit and more.
Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA): A Montana-based passenger rail government agency that advocates for the reestablishment of safe, reliable and sustainable passenger rail service across southern Montana that increases opportunities and contributes to the health and well-being of the people across the state and beyond.
Local Highway Technical Assistance Council (LHTAC): Created by the Idaho State Legislature to connect local highway jurisdictions in Idaho with available resources for maintenance and construction of Idaho’s local highway system in the most efficient and effective manner possible.