The Regional Transportation District has given initial approval to a scaled back plan to build a rail line from Denver to Longmont. The option keeps the Northwest rail line in the FastTracks plan, but modifies it to use both commuter rail and buses for rapid transit until there’s money to build a full rail line. RTD representative Paulette Tinelus says Tuesday’s vote, as well as a vote next week by the full RTD board hinges on the public approving another sales tax increase.
“If the board at sometime decides not to go for a tax increase, or we go for an increase and it doesn’t pass, then we are back to not completing FasTracks until 2042 or later, and the northwest rail line up to Longmont would be the last component to be complete.”
Under the approved option, bus rapid transit would be implemented along the northwest corridor by 2020, and rail service to Westminster would be completed by 2022.
Once the full RTD board approves the hybrid recommendation, it heads to the Denver Regional Council of Governments for a vote in June.
