Last month, Rep. Marko Liias experienced life in the fast lane in Spain. That is, the high-speed train lane. As a guest of the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade, Liias was invited to visit the new Spanish high-speed rail system - one of the fastest in the world - which zips along at speeds of nearly 200 miles per hour. He also gave a presentation to a gathering of Spanish companies on Washington's progress in establishing the Amtrak Cascades service.
As vice-chair of the House Transportation Committee, Liias takes a keen interest in anything that can move people and goods from one place to another quickly and efficiently. His itinerary included a visit to the Spanish rail system's high tech control center, and a tour of a deep bore tunnel project in the city of Barcelona. When complete, the project will connect two train stations with a tunnel that will run under the center of the city.
"I was impressed with Spain's investment in their rail system," Liias said last week in Olympia. "It's both inspiring and motivating to see how other countries tackle their transportation challenges. I also believe Washington state can be a leader in transportation innovation, and look forward to working with my colleagues on the House Transportation committee this fall."
In the photo above, Rep. Liias is pictured on a tour of a manufacturing plant operated by the Spanish rail operator RENFE. With him are state Senator Katie Sieben of Minnesota and RENFE's Alberto Gonzalez.
