Front Range Commuter Rail
Encyclopedia
The Front Range Commuter Rail is a non-profit corporation whose goal is to bring a high-speed commuter rail corridor to the Front Range
of Colorado
, USA, with extensions to neighboring Wyoming
and New Mexico
. The group is affiliated with an intergovernmental agreement called the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority (RMRA). The stated goal of the organization is to have commuter rail up and running at the same time as the Denver Regional Transportation District
's FasTracks
mass transit comes on-line in 2014.
, Colorado. The proposed line was dubbed the "Ranger Express" and received high-profile support from Colorado senator Ken Salazar
http://salazar.senate.gov/news/releases/050608trans_rail.htm. New Mexico governor
Bill Richardson's upcoming Rail Runner commuter rail system in New Mexico also provided impetus for the project. New Mexico's purchase of BNSF rail lines between Albuquerque
and Raton
, NM provided some speculation that the purchase was made to help facilitate Front Range Commuter Rail and Ranger Express, but no evidence of any formal agreement exists today.
On September 20, 2006 the Transportation Commission of the Colorado Department of Transportation
(CDOT) approved $1,246,000 for the 11th Rocky Mountain Corridor for High Speed Rail Feasibility Study
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4354406. The study area includes the I-25 corridor from Wyoming
to New Mexico and the I-70 corridor from Utah
to Denver International Airport
(DIA). This enabled the RMRA to begin acquiring governmental members.
As of May, 2007 the RMRA has raised over $415,000 in matching funds, exceeding the required 20% match on the CDOT grant. On April 26, 2007 RMRA members signed a commitment letter to CDOT with a total dollar amount of $325,000, allowing the feasibility study to commence. Study activities began in June 2008 http://www.rmrastudy.net/.
Municipalities
County Governments
Transit Agencies
Phase I : Introduction and Establishment. Founder Bob Briggs has publicized the effort to gain commuter rail for Colorado.
Phase II : Feasibility Study Financed. Front Range Commuter Rail seeks the three states involved (New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming) to jointly fund a feasibility study at the cost of $2,190,000.00 as required by the Federal Railroad Administration
.
Phase III : Feasibility Study and FRA 11th High Speed Rail Corridor
Designation. As a part of the feasibility study, Front Range Commuter Rail hopes that its planned route can be included as the eleventh high priority corridor for the Federal Railroad Administration. This is the current phase for the project.
Phase IV : Election to Establish Statewide District/Authority and Infrastructure Funding. Front Range Commuter Rail seeks to create a special taxing district to raise taxpayer funds for the corridor. This would need to be approved on the ballot by the voters of the states involved. In Colorado, this would require holding the election on an even numbered year, either in 2008 or 2010.
Phase V : Establish District/Authority and Build Infrastructure. The authority would be responsible for the design, implementation, and building of the rail corridor.
Front Range
The Front Range is a mountain range of the Southern Rocky Mountains of North America located in the north-central portion of the U.S. State of Colorado and southeastern portion of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is the first mountain range encountered moving west along the 40th parallel north across...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, USA, with extensions to neighboring Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The group is affiliated with an intergovernmental agreement called the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority (RMRA). The stated goal of the organization is to have commuter rail up and running at the same time as the Denver Regional Transportation District
Regional Transportation District
The Regional Transportation District, or RTD, was organized in 1969 and is the regional authority operating public transit services in eight of the twelve counties in the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area in Colorado. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of...
's FasTracks
FasTracks
FasTracks is a twelve-year, $6.5 billion public transportation expansion plan for the Denver-Aurora and Boulder metropolitan areas in Colorado, USA, developed by the Regional Transportation District...
mass transit comes on-line in 2014.
History
Front Range Commuter Rail was founded on December 2, 2004 by Bob Briggs in WestminsterWestminster, Colorado
Westminster is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Westminster is a northwest suburb of Denver. The Westminster Municipal Center is located north-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
, Colorado. The proposed line was dubbed the "Ranger Express" and received high-profile support from Colorado senator Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
http://salazar.senate.gov/news/releases/050608trans_rail.htm. New Mexico governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Bill Richardson's upcoming Rail Runner commuter rail system in New Mexico also provided impetus for the project. New Mexico's purchase of BNSF rail lines between Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
and Raton
Raton, New Mexico
Raton is a city in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 7,282 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colfax County. The city is located just south of Raton Pass.-Name:...
, NM provided some speculation that the purchase was made to help facilitate Front Range Commuter Rail and Ranger Express, but no evidence of any formal agreement exists today.
On September 20, 2006 the Transportation Commission of the Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado Department of Transportation
The Colorado Department of Transportation is the agency of state government responsible for transportation in the State of Colorado of the United States. CDOT is responsible for maintaining 9,144 mile highway system, including 3,429 bridges with over 28 billion vehicle miles of travel per year...
(CDOT) approved $1,246,000 for the 11th Rocky Mountain Corridor for High Speed Rail Feasibility Study
Feasibility study
Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest...
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4354406. The study area includes the I-25 corridor from Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
to New Mexico and the I-70 corridor from Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
to Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
(DIA). This enabled the RMRA to begin acquiring governmental members.
As of May, 2007 the RMRA has raised over $415,000 in matching funds, exceeding the required 20% match on the CDOT grant. On April 26, 2007 RMRA members signed a commitment letter to CDOT with a total dollar amount of $325,000, allowing the feasibility study to commence. Study activities began in June 2008 http://www.rmrastudy.net/.
RMRA Members
The current list of RMRA members includes:Municipalities
- City of Aspen, CO
- City of Aurora, CO
- City and County of Broomfield, CO
- Town of Castle Rock, CO
- City of Colorado Springs, CO
- Town of Frisco, CO
- City of Idaho Springs, CO
- Town of Monument, CO
- Town of Oak Creek, CO
- City of Pueblo, CO
- City of Thornton, CO
- Town of Timnath, CO
- City of Trinidad, CO
- City of Westminster, CO
- Town of Yampa, CO
County Governments
- Arapahoe County, CO
- Boulder County, CO
- Clear Creek County, CO
- Douglas County, CO
- Eagle County, CO
- Garfield County, CO
- Gilpin County, CO
- Grand County, CO
- Jefferson County, CO
- Larimer County, CO
- Las Animas County, CO
- Pitkin County, CO
- Pueblo County, CO
- Routt County, CO
- Summit County, CO
- Weld County, CO
Transit Agencies
- Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority of Colorado Springs
- The Regional Transportation DistrictRegional Transportation DistrictThe Regional Transportation District, or RTD, was organized in 1969 and is the regional authority operating public transit services in eight of the twelve counties in the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area in Colorado. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of...
of Metro Denver - Roaring Fork Transportation AuthorityRoaring Fork Transportation AuthorityRoaring Fork Transportation Authority was established in 1983, and is operated by a Rural Transportation Authority. The RFTA provides bus service to Aspen, Snowmass Village, Pitkin County, Basalt, a portion of Eagle County, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and their newest member New Castle.-Fleet:RFTA...
Goals
Front Range Commuter Rail seeks the following goals to bring commuter rail to the Rocky Mountain Region.Phase I : Introduction and Establishment. Founder Bob Briggs has publicized the effort to gain commuter rail for Colorado.
Phase II : Feasibility Study Financed. Front Range Commuter Rail seeks the three states involved (New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming) to jointly fund a feasibility study at the cost of $2,190,000.00 as required by the Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...
.
Phase III : Feasibility Study and FRA 11th High Speed Rail Corridor
High-speed rail in the United States
High-speed rail in the United States currently consists of one high-speed rail service: Amtrak's Acela Express runs on the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C...
Designation. As a part of the feasibility study, Front Range Commuter Rail hopes that its planned route can be included as the eleventh high priority corridor for the Federal Railroad Administration. This is the current phase for the project.
Phase IV : Election to Establish Statewide District/Authority and Infrastructure Funding. Front Range Commuter Rail seeks to create a special taxing district to raise taxpayer funds for the corridor. This would need to be approved on the ballot by the voters of the states involved. In Colorado, this would require holding the election on an even numbered year, either in 2008 or 2010.
Phase V : Establish District/Authority and Build Infrastructure. The authority would be responsible for the design, implementation, and building of the rail corridor.
External links
- http://www.rangerxpress.com - Front Range Commuter Rail official website.
- http://www.nmrailrunner.com - Rail Runner Express official website.
- CDOT Public Benefit & Costs Study - details the required freight re-alignment to the Colorado eastern plains.
- Rocky Mountain Rail Authority
- I-70 Coalition - Intergovernmental coalition of many RMRA member governments with similar goals.