Colorado receives federal funds for Front Range passenger rail study

WASHINGTON (KRDO) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that Colorado will receive nearly $2.5 million for rail infrastructures and safety improvement.

The federal funds include money for a study examining the possibility of a 180-mile intercity passenger rail corridor between Pueblo and Fort Collins, Colorado.

The U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Colorado is one of 29 states selected to receive federal dollars for a variety of projects that focus on improving the safety and efficiency of freight and intercity passenger service.

The state can use up to $548,000 of the grant to do a preliminary service plan and simulation modeling study for the Front Range passenger train project.

Talks of a passenger rail from Fort Collins down to Pueblo were first announced in late June by the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The rest of the funding ($1,945,019) is reserved for the replacement of the Animas River Bridge. The money would help build a replacement railroad bridge over the Animas River, approximately 15 feet upstream of the existing structure.