FasTracks Moving Forward:
Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)
Amendment
Staff Recommendation
Phillip A. Washington and Team
August 7, 2012
FasTracks Guiding Principles
• Staff relied heavily on our Guiding Principles to
develop our approach for the RTP Amendment
– Ensure every step contributes to the full vision
– Focus money available to the greatest good
– Spend public money wisely
– Maximize outside funding before going to taxpayers
– Deliver key investments in all corridors
Build As Much As We Can As Fast
As We Can Until It Is All Done!
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RTP Amendment Overview
• RTD’s current assumption is to complete all of
FasTracks with the existing 0.4 percent sales and use tax
– RTD Board and stakeholders determined timing is not right to pursue
a 2012 election; Board has not identified a future election year
• Due to this decision, RTD needs to update DRCOG’s
Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which identifies
transportation projects that can be funded through 2035
– The RTP must be fiscally constrained to keep the entire region in line
for federal funding
– RTD, CDOT, and the region’s cities and counties must submit specific
project lists and construction timeframes for all projects to be
completed prior to 2035 to ensure the RTP remains fiscally
constrained
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RTP Amendment Overview (cont.)
• RTD must submit an RTP Amendment in August 2012
– This submittal will represent a snap-shot in time, and will change as
new opportunities arise
– A full SB 208 report will be submitted in early 2014
• The projects identified for completion by 2035 are based
on their ability to leverage public/private funds and/or
receive federal grants
• The project list and placeholder schedule can be revised
through future RTP Amendments
• Staff requests formal recommendation tonight from the
FasTracks Monitoring Committee on the proposed
content of the RTP Amendment
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Recommended List of Projects for
RTP Amendment and Rationale
• Currently committed projects: Covers projects under
construction and those funded through the $305 M
• I-225: RTD Board has approved construction of the entire line
• North Metro DUS to 72nd: Completing this segment positions
North Metro for a future New Starts grant for the rest of the
project
• US 36 Bus Rapid Transit to Table Mesa (remaining
commitment): Allows RTD to continue partnering with CDOT
and HPTE to leverage state funding and toll revenues
• Southeast Extension: Allows RTD to begin the New Starts
grant application process
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– Process takes several years to complete; no Board decision on local
match for 15 – 18 months
RTP Amendment: Financial Plan
Results Assuming No Additional Revenues
2013 – 2018
2018 – 2030
2030 – 2035
POST RTP
2035 – 2044
West Rail Line (2013)
Central Corridor Planning Study
(2012/2013)
US 36 Bus Rapid Transit: $120 M for
Managed Lanes to 88th Street (2012 –
2014) and $15M for Managed Lanes to
Table Mesa (2014 – 2015)
Central Extension
US 36: Remaining
RTD Commitment
Denver Union Station (2015)
Northwest Rail:
Westminster to
Longmont
Northwest Rail: Longmont Station (2015)
Southwest Corridor Extension: UP Rail
Line Relocation (2015)
Southwest Extension
Eagle Project (2016)
I-225 (2016)
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Southeast Extension: Completion of New
Starts Application (2016)
Southeast Extension
North Metro: Construction to Stock Show
(2017)
North Metro: Stock
Show to 72nd
North Metro: 72nd to
162nd
Opportunities for Schedule
Acceleration
• Successful future sales tax election
– Potential RTD initiative
– Potential RTD/CDOT initiative
• Better than expected sales tax revenues
• Additional grants, unsolicited proposals or public-private
partnerships
• Current construction projects completed under budget
• Partnering with our stakeholders to make every dollar
count through
– Early agreement on project scope and no additional changes during
construction
– Timely reviews and permit approvals
– Maximizing opportunities for local match
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Looking Ahead
• August 2012: Formal RTD Board action on RTP
Amendment and financial plan; submittal of RTP
Amendment to DRCOG
• February 2013: RTP Amendment approval by DRCOG
• Ongoing: Regional dialogue on implementation of the entire
FasTracks program
• February 2014: RTD submittal of a new SB 208 report
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Marking Off Milestones
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Southeast Corridor Extension –
New Starts Grant Application
•
RTD will request “Entry into Preliminary Engineering (PE),” the first of three
major milestones in the New Starts grant process, in September 2012
– The full New Starts process will take a minimum of 2 ½ years to complete
•
As part of this initial submittal, RTD needs to demonstrate a “reasonable
assumption” for when local match funding will be available for this project
– Final RTD Board decision about the allocation of local match funding will not be required
for another 15 – 18 months
– RTD has initiated discussions with local stakeholders about the potential for external
sources of local match funding for this project
•
A financial plan will be submitted to FTA as part of RTD’s request to enter PE
that will:
– Be consistent with the RTP amendment, except that RTD would assume some sort of
placeholder financing in 2015/2016 that could accelerate the Southeast Corridor
Extension project to be completed by 2018. This placeholder financing could ultimately
be filled through an external source of local match funding.
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Questions?
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