Amtrak's Cascades route marks 20 years

U.S. and Canadian officials today will hold a ceremony at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, to mark 20 years of Amtrak's Cascades route to Canada.

The event will highlight the economic impact of the service to Seattle, Portland, Ore., Vancouver and the entire Cascades corridor, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The department's analysis shows that Cascades passengers spend $11 million annually in British Columbia, with a combined $110 million in all the station cities.

"Amtrak Cascades service continues to provide economic benefits and multimodal travel options for U.S. and Canadian residents," said Washington Secretary of Transportation Lynn Peterson.

Additionally, the ceremony will include a presentation thanking workers from the Canada Border Service Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their security screening throughout the route's 20 years of service.

Amtrak's Cascades' British Columbia service features two daily round trips from Vancouver, one to Seattle and another to Portland.

Last year, 148,000 people traveled to or from British Columbia on Amtrak's route.