On page 28, line 17 of the amendment, strike "$79,846,000" and insert "$80,346,000"

On page 28, line 20 of the amendment, strike "$79,892,000" and insert "$80,392,000"

On page 28, after line 20 of the amendment, insert the following:

"The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations: $500,000 of the multimodal transportation account—state appropriation is provided solely for a consultant study of ultra high-speed ground transportation. The department may use the unanticipated receipt process to accept local contributions for this study. For purposes of this section, "ultra high-speed" means two hundred fifty miles per hour or more. The study must identify the costs and benefits of ultra high-speed ground transportation along a north-south alignment in Washington state. The study must provide:

(1) An update to the high speed ground transportation study commissioned pursuant to chapter 231, Laws of 1991 and delivered to the governor and legislature on October 15, 1992;

(2) An analysis of an ultra high-speed ground transportation alignment between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon with stations in: Vancouver, British Columbia; Bellingham, Everett, Seattle, SeaTac, Tacoma, Olympia, and Vancouver, Washington; and Portland, Oregon, with an option to connect with an east-west alignment in Washington state and with a similar system in the state of California; and

(3) An analysis of the following key elements:

(a) Economic feasibility;

(b) Forecasted demand;

(c) Corridor identification;

(d) Land use and economic development and environmental implications;

(e) Compatibility with other regional transportation plans, including interfaces and impacts on other travel modes such as air transportation;

(f) Technological options for ultra high-speed ground transportation, both foreign and domestic;

(g) Required specifications for speed, safety, access, and frequency;

(h) Identification of existing highway or railroad rights-of-way that are suitable for ultra high-speed travel, including identification of additional rights-of-way that may be needed and the process for acquiring those rights-of-way;

(i) Institutional arrangements for carrying out detailed system planning, construction, and operations; and

(j) An analysis of potential financing mechanisms for an ultra high-speed travel system.

The department shall provide a report of its study findings to the governor and transportation committees of the legislature by December 15, 2017."

EFFECT: Increases the total spending in the DOT rail operating program by $500K for the purpose of funding an ultra high-speed rail study. A report is due to the Governor and the legislature by December 15, 2017.