Citizens Advisory Committee
Quarterly Meeting
Rick Clarke, Assistant GM – Capital Programs
June 20, 2012
FasTracks Guiding Principles
• Staff relied heavily on our Guiding Principles to
develop our approach for the DRCOG submittal
– 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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On-going FasTracks Implementation
• Continue implementing $4.2 billion worth of FasTracks
projects
• Continue working with RTD Board and stakeholders to
aggressively seek alternative funding sources for the
program through grants, public private partnerships,
unsolicited proposals, etc.
• Pursue a future sales and use tax election when the region
is ready
• Identify key short-term decisions for program implementation
• Provide monthly updates to the RTD Board on the plan
moving forward
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DRCOG Process
• DRCOG’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) identifies
planned transportation projects through 2035
• The RTP must be fiscally constrained, otherwise federal
funding for the entire region could be in jeopardy
– RTD has to submit a specific project list and construction timeframes
for all projects to be completed prior to 2035 to ensure the RTP
remains fiscally constrained
• Based on discussions with DRCOG, RTD is planning to
submit an RTP Amendment in August 2012
– This submittal will represent a snap-shot in time, and can change in
the future as new opportunities arise
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2035 RTP Amendment
• The RTP Amendment will:
– Be a placeholder, providing the RTD Board of Directors with
additional time to evaluate and determine appropriate phasing for
FasTracks projects prior to submitting a new SB 208 report
– Assume no additional sales and use tax election
– Include a detailed financial plan and a brief summary of each of the
projects anticipated to be completed by 2035
– Not include the Northwest Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project
• To better define this project, RTD is seeking funding to conduct a
planning study beginning in early 2013
• RTD will continue working with our stakeholders in the northwest to
evaluate mode options, etc.
– Be followed by a more detailed SB 208 report in early 2014, which
may change the assumptions included in this RTP Amendment
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2035 RTP Amendment Approach
• Identify a list of projects to be completed by
2035 (including a placeholder schedule for
completion of these projects) that are strong
candidates for leveraging public/private funds
and/or receiving federal grants
– Project list and schedule can be updated in the future as
opportunities arise
– RTP Amendment would also assume a future debt-only
Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) election in the early
2020’s
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2035 RTP Amendment Approach
• Depending on the results of financial modeling, the list of
projects to be completed by 2035 could include:
– North Metro to 72nd: completing this initial segment first positions
North Metro for a future New Starts grant for the rest of the project
– North Metro from 72nd to SH 7: allows RTD to complete this corridor
assuming 50% of the cost will be covered by a New Starts grant
– US 36 Bus Rapid Transit to Table Mesa: allows RTD to partner with
CDOT and HPTE to leverage state funding and toll revenues OR
Northwest Rail segment to Church Ranch: allows RTD to continue
working with the BNSF Railway to move forward with construction of
corridor segments
– I-225: allows RTD to take advantage of the proposal(s) received for
this corridor
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– Southeast Extension: allows RTD to move forward with a New Starts
grant application
Overview of Approach for 2035
RTP Amendment
• RTD Board will take action on RTP Amendment submittal to
DRCOG in August 2012 that identifies a list of projects to be
completed by 2035 (including a placeholder schedule for
completion of these projects) that are strong candidates for
leveraging public/private funds and/or receiving federal
grants
• Within one year of approval of the RTP Amendment, RTD
will engage regional stakeholders and the public in a
process to determine how to complete FasTracks and to
reflect that outcome in a new SB 208 report to DRCOG
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Next Steps
• July 2012: RTD Board consideration of options and
assumptions to be included in the RTP Amendment
• August 2012: Formal RTD Board action to approve RTP
Amendment and supporting financial plan; submittal of RTP
Amendment to DRCOG
• December 2012/January 2013: RTP Amendment approval
by DRCOG
• Within One Year of RTP Amendment Approval
(December 2013/January 2014): RTD submittal of a new
SB 208 report to validate or revise the project list and
schedule identified in the RTP Amendment
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Questions?
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