Colorado Department of
Transportation
Division of Transit and Rail
SCORT PRESENTATION
CURRENT PASSENGER RAIL INITIATIVES
MARCH 15, 2011
MARK IMHOFF, DIVISION DIRECTOR
Division of Transit and Rail (DTR)
 New Division established in 2011 through
Senate Bill 09-094,with Passenger & Freight
Rail Section; Senate Bill 09-108: Funding
Advancement for Surface Transportation and
Economic Recovery (FASTER)
 Annual Operating budget of approximately
$15M
 Current Passenger Rail initiatives
State Freight and Passenger Rail Plan
 Colorado Interregional Connectivity Study
 I-70 Mountain Corridor Advanced Guideway System
Feasibility Study

State of Colorado Passenger Rail Initiatives
State Freight and Passenger Rail Plan
 Initiated in February
2011
 Funded through FRA
grant
 Total study value-$800K
FRA portion-$400k
DTR portion-$400k
 Status: Completed peer
review of best rail
practices, beginning
inventory of existing rail
services
Challenges:
 Incorporating into LongTerm vision,
 funding for
implementation,
 effective stakeholder
coordination,
 timing concurrent with
other studies.
Colorado Interregional Connectivity Study

Anticipated to begin in Summer
2011

Partially funded through FRA
HSIPR Track 3 grant

Total study value-$2.0M
FRA portion-$1.0 M/DTR portion$1.0M

Purpose: Analyze High Speed Rail
alignments and stations along
east-west and north-south to
interface with proposed FasTracks
system to maximize ridership

Status: FRA reviewing Scope of
Work (pending approval)
Colorado Interregional Connectivity Study
Challenges:
 Obtaining accurate ridership, not competing
with FasTracks.
 Finding suitable technology for east-west
Corridor.
 Obligation of funds, and funding for
implementation.
I-70 Mountain Corridor Advanced
Guideway System (AGS) Study
 Anticipated to begin in
Summer 2011
 Locally Funded through DTR
FASTER Grant
 Total study value-$2.3M
 Purpose: Identify
alternatives(alignments,
technologies and stations) to
implement an High Speed Rail
(AGS) system along I-70
Mountain Corridor
 Status: Draft scope under
internal review, Formation of
Project Advisory team under
way
I-70 Mountain Corridor Advanced Guideway
System (AGS) Study
Challenges:
 Finding suitable technology for east-west
Corridor (grades, curvature, terrain,
weather).
 Meeting criteria outlined in previous study.
 Coordinating with Connectivity Study.
 Phasing of Feasibility Study.
 Funding for implementation.
Challenges
General
 New Division
 Climate of stop studying and
build!
 Timing and Interface of Current
Rail Studies
 Geography, sparsely spaced
population centers (lacking
continuous density)
 Attracting funding for
implementation in current
economic climate
State Rail Freight and Passenger
Study
Incorporating into Long-Term
vision.
 Funding for implementation.
 Effective stakeholder coordination,
 Timing concurrent with other
studies.

Colorado Interregional Connectivity
Study
 Obtaining accurate ridership, not
competing with FasTracks
 Finding suitable technology for
east-west corridor
 Obligation of funds and funding for
implementation
I-70 Mountain Corridor Advanced
Guideway System Feasibility Study
 Finding suitable technology for




east-west Corridor (grades,
curvature, terrain, weather).
Meeting criteria outlined in
previous study.
Coordinating with Connectivity
Study.
Phasing of Feasibility Study.
Funding for implementation