Upisode 48: John Cracolici of Cascadia Rail stops by the bookstore and walks Ian through his journey from Pike Market grocer to transit activist to geostructural engineer. He details the vision for a region-wide high-speed rail system and why it’s not as far off or expensive as you might think.
About Jon Cracolici
Jon Cracolici refers to himself as “that rare Seattle local who would really like to talk to you. Probably about high-speed rail, and the amazing things it will do for our region.” A geotechnical engineer with GeoEngineers Inc working primarily on preparing Seattle’s buildings to withstand earthquakes, he has a passion for promoting transformative transportation projects. He was previously Outreach Director at Seattle Subway, one of the organizations primarily responsible for the passage of Sound Transit 3 (ST3).
Today, Jon is Outreach Director for Cascadia Rail, a new advocacy organization with members spanning from Vancouver, Bellingham, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and Portland who support multi-state efforts to connect the Cascadia region through high-speed intercity transport. The group argues for a potentially “expensive” investment in high-speed rail on the grounds that it would radically transform the quality of life in the Cascadia region for the better; enhance business and workforce development; increase tourism; and be better for the environment.
