DENVER — Officials have pieced together the funding necessary for studies to assess the feasibility of a proposed passenger service along Colorado’s front range, connecting cities from Fort Collins to Pueblo and beyond.
The Denver Post reports the Colorado Transportation Commission last week approved $1.6 million in funds for the $3.9 million study, matching funds committed by the Southwest Chief and Front Range Rail Passenger Commission. A Federal Railroad Administration grant will provide another $685,000.
The studies will help determine the direction of efforts by the Front Range Passenger Rail District, created earlier this year [see “Colorado governor signs bill creating tax district for passenger rail,” Trains News Wire, July 1, 2021]. The district will be able to levy taxes to fund the project in all or part of 13 counties which would be served by the passenger operation.
The studies will look at specifics of financing and operation, evaluate ridership, and develop a preliminary service plan before going to voters to seek funds for an operation could cost $1.7 billion to $2.8 billion to launch, according to early estimates.
You have a tax district. You have people and governments clamoring for these trains. Why is a study necessary NOW? Shouldn’t a study have been done before all this?
It would be good to have cooperation from New Mexico to extend the corridor to Albuquerque.