AAWA’s Role in a Northwest Transportation Coalition
AAWA supports the maintenance and enhancement of passenger rail service in Washington state, the Pacific Northwest, and the country. The Cascades and other Amtrak services are successful because of their abilities to reach across city, county, state, and even national borders. AAWA is a leader in promoting better passenger train service in Washington, but we recognize the need to work in partnership in order to maintain regional, national, and international connectivity.
AAWA works with groups across America, especially the Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates (AORTA) and the Rail Passengers Association (RPA). We share a common goal of creating, improving, and preserving passenger rail services that connect and enrich our communities. Although our activities primarily focus on protecting and improving existing Amtrak services like the Cascades, Empire Builder, and Coast Starlight, we know that intercity rail is just one part of a balanced, multimodal transportation network that should address the short- and long-term needs of our citizens in a fiscally responsible manner.
We wish to create a future where every traveler is empowered to explore the Pacific Northwest. We see our vision as aligning closely with the interests of other groups, including those promoting greater mobility justice, pedestrian and cyclist access, rural-urban equity, environmental stewardship, and transportation safety. We encourage all organizations that focus on these issues to become partners with us to advocate for our shared goals.