RAIL PLANNING IN COLORADO

SCORT – September 17, 2012Portland, Maine

• Initial Rail Plan completed under 4R Act of 1976 - $100,000 FRA Planning Grant

• Most Recent Plan Update in 1991• Recent Rail Planning Efforts in Colorado – CDOT’s Colorado Rail Relocation Feasibility

Study (2009)– Rocky Mountain Rail Authority High Speed Rail

Feasibility Study (2010)

COLORADO STATE RAIL PLANNING

• Adopted in March 2012• PRIIA Compliant• Stakeholder Involvement– Steering Committee (17 Members) – 5

Meetings– Stakeholder Group (Grew from 50 to 250+)– 6 Workshops/Open Houses Across the State– Other Industry Focused Meetings (Agriculture,

Coal)

2012 COLORADO STATE RAIL PLAN

• Project Categories – Freight Rail– Railroad/Public Safety Projects (37)– Railroad Overpass/Underpass Projects (44)– Corridor Preservation Projects (2) – Short Line Improvement Projects (13)– Rail Facilities/Relocation Projects (3)– Class l Rail Capital Projects (17)– Industrial Spur Tracks (2)

2012 COLORADO STATE RAIL PLAN

• Project Categories – Passenger Rail – Existing Passenger Service (4) – Proposed Passenger Service – Commuter Rail (4)– Proposed Passenger Service – Intercity Rail (9)– Proposed Passenger Service – High Speed Rail (7)

2012 COLORADO STATE RAIL PLAN

• Interregional Connectivity Study • I-70 Advanced Guideway System Feasibility Study• Pending Passenger Rail Service Development

Plan: Denver to Fort Collins (Commuter Rail)

NEXT STEPS

• 18 month study through September 2013– Builds upon previous studies– Aims to connect major population centers – Study area: Fort Collins to Pueblo

• 4 Presentations/Public Meetings Held in July• In Phase 2 of Planning Process, the Initial Evaluation• ICS should determine that benefits exceed capital

costs

INTERREGIONAL CONNECTIVITY STUDY (ICS)

• 18 month study through September 2013• AGS Study Goals:

– Determine the technological and financial feasibility of an AGS on I-70

– Assess feasibility of alignments based on technology– Coordinate with local and regional transit network

• Technology Request for Information to be released in mid-September• Technology provider responses due mid-October

with presentations at Tech Forum in late October• Study unique for Industry outreach approach

I-70 ADVANCED GUIDEWAY SYSTEM STUDY

Technical Response

Technical RFI

Alignment Study

Finance RFI

Finance Response

• Follow-on to North I-25 EIS Record of Decision • Highest Ranked Commuter Rail Project in State Rail

Plan• Proposed to be State Funded• Follow FRA Passenger Rail Service Development Plan

Guidelines

PENDING PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PLAN: DENVER TO FORT COLLINS (COMMUTER RAIL)