Voters could soon decide whether to fund a train from Pueblo and Colorado Springs to Denver
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Voters could decide this year whether to fund a major passenger rail initiative, according to a spokesperson with the Front Range Passenger Rail District.
The project would connect Pueblo to Fort Collins, with stops in several cities along the way, including Colorado Springs and Denver. Eventually, the Front Range Passenger Rail could expand farther south to Trinidad.
"The number one goal and mission by Front Range Passenger Rail is to take people off I-25 and to relieve the congestion on the interstate," said Sal Pace, general manager with the Front Range Passenger Rail District.
The proposed tax would be a half-cent sales tax, meaning half a penny of every dollar spent would go toward the initiative. However, the Front Range Passenger Rail District said several steps must be completed before the measure can be placed on the ballot.
"We have a series of metrics that we've set, including stakeholder engagement, public input, outreach efforts, our technical planning. And if we don't meet our benchmarks, then we're not going to run a ballot question," said Pace.
The first service would likely be from Longmont to Denver around 2029, with that section receiving funding from RTD, the Denver metro area's rail system. The second phase with more connections could be completed by 2033, according to the Front Range Passenger Rail District.
Those leading the initiative say they would use existing rails, leasing from existing Class I freight railroads, which is a much faster alternative than building new rails.
In Pueblo, the location of the station would be the historic Union Depot downtown. In Colorado Springs, the proposed location is adjacent to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
"We're even talking with the Denver Broncos, who requested a station at their new location in Burnham Yard in South Denver," said Pace.
Pace says the train will have a top speed of around 79 mph, and projects that train tickets will cost less than $20 from Pueblo to the end of the line.
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