High Speed Rail Could Work In Colorado
DENVER – A Rocky Mountain Rail Authority study has determined that high-speed rail is feasible in Colorado.
The potential routes would be along the I-70 and I-25 corridors.
The following is from at RMRA press release:
The study, funded by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the RMRA’s more than 50 local-government and transit-authority members, identified numerous options between Fort Collins and Pueblo in the I-25 corridor and Denver International Airport (DIA) and Eagle County Airport in the I-70 corridor that exceed the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) threshold for high-speed rail feasibility.
“High-speed rail can provide a faster, more reliable travel option within and between mountain communities and areas up and down the Front Range,” said RMRA Chairman and Clear Creek County Commissioner Harry Dale.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) establishes financial and economic requirements when considering high-speed rail corridors. These criteria require that the economic benefits created by a project exceed the costs and that the system can profitably operate without government-subsidies that are common among public highways and local transit.
The study evaluated a full range of technologies and speeds along with a variety of station locations on routes following highway corridors, existing rail corridors and completely new corridors between Cheyenne, WY and Trinidad, CO in the I-25 corridor and DIA to Grand Junction, CO in the I-70 corridor.
“We gathered substantial statewide input throughout the study that helped inform and refine the alternatives considered in the study,” added Dale. “An independent panel of national high-speed rail experts also met throughout the study to review the analysis and provide recommendations.”
The study determined that the high costs and lower ridership potential in more remote areas of the state made a high-speed rail system from Cheyenne to Trinidad and DIA to Grand Junction infeasible. However, it also identified promising options to serve key Colorado communities beyond the core service area like Aspen, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Steamboat Springs that should be evaluated as high-speed rail is pursued in Colorado.
The study developed a sample implementation and operation plan for one feasible option that exceeded FRA criteria. That option uses an electric-powered train with a maximum speed of 220 mph. In the I-25 corridor, the train would generally follow the highway north of Denver, while south of Denver, it would follow a new north/south corridor east of the highway. In the I-70 corridor, it would include some portions along the highway and others away from the highway to minimize steep grades and sharp curves.
This option would provide a powerful boost to the Colorado economy, generating $33 billion of benefits through jobs, income, property values and more. It would cost just over $21billion and could be paid for through a combination of private, federal and local funding.
Once built, this option would carry nearly 35 million passengers a year. The service would include two-to-three trains per hour in peak periods with more than 18 trains per day in each corridor. Representative fares and travel times include:
DIA to Colorado Springs – $32 fare & 1:00 travel time DIA to Keystone – $30 fare & 1:15 travel time Downtown Denver to Vail – $40 fare & 2:00 travel time Fort Collins to Silverthorne – $48 fare & 2:00 travel time
The next steps in pursuing a high-speed rail system in Colorado are already taking form. In January, CDOT received $1.4 million in federal funding to develop a state rail plan that is slated to begin later this year as well as local transit connectivity plan. Once these are completed, Colorado can seek federal designation as the nation’s eleventh high-speed rail corridor.
