Upstart to Start Up: Colorado’s High Speed & Intercity Transit Vision & State Rail Plan September 2014

30 Years Makes A Difference  30 Years Ago – 1984  Colorado had intercity Amtrak as the state’s only passenger rail  Colorado had no bus / HOV lanes  Colorado had a Department of Highways  20 Years Ago –  Colorado had its first light rail segment  Colorado implemented its first bus / HOV lanes  Colorado entered the Department of Transportation era  10 Years Ago – 2004  FasTracks rapid transit expansion ballot measure passes  Light Rail, Commuter Rail, Bus Rapid Transit 2

30 Years Makes A Difference  Today – 2014  Colorado has the first rural Bus Rapid Transit  Fort Collins Colorado opened its BRT  FasTracks is well on the way to completion  State and Local agencies are planning for growth with all modes & choices in mind 2

CDOT Division of Transit & Rail  The Division of Transit & Rail established in 2009  Senate Bill  Authority to plan, design, finance, operate, maintain and contract for transit services.  Also in 2009 Senate Bill (FASTER)  Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery (FASTER)  Increased Vehicle Registration Fees  Funds Highway Safety projects and Bridge replacement and refurbishments  Dedicated State funding for transit  $15 M per year 2

Division of Transit & Rail  Annual Budget – approx. $30M/year  Historically pass through grant administration  Transit Section – 9 employees  Transit Grants Unit  Administer FTA Grants to rural and small urban transit entities  Administer FASTER Transit Grants  Planning & Infrastructure Unit  Statewide Transit Data Base  Transit Asset Management  Transit Planning  Intercity Bus  Rail and Special Projects – 2 employees  Planning Studies/Environmental clearance  Financing and implementation strategies  Railroad coordination  Transit Operations – 2 employees 2

Statewide Transit Plan  Regional Transit Plans  Strategy-based  Reflects a combination of service, facility, vehicle, & marketing / communication needs.  Financial Constraints  State is 450 x 300 miles 2

Interregional Express Bus  CDOT becomes a transit operator (using a private operator)  Begins to fulfill multimodal mission  Interregional element to statewide transit network  Connect population & employment centers  Peak period commuter & “essential service” express  Fast/minimize travel times  Limited stops/significant spacing  Utilize park-and-rides for broad local access  Maximize fare box recovery  Expect at least 40% over time  Guarantee 20% within two years  Expand service as demand builds & farebox revenue allows 2

Interregional Express Bus 2 FRISCO

State Freight & Passenger Rail Plan  Develop intercity and regional passenger rail  Facilitate Freight RR Communication  Railroads & Communities  Economic Development Opportunities  Coordinate, Integrate, Connect  Position Colorado for Federal Funding 2

AGS & ICS Studies  Purpose:  The purpose of the AGS & ICS projects are to provide Colorado with a well supported modal option for the State’s transportation network that connects communities and destinations for interregional business and tourism travel; builds on and strengthens Colorado’s existing transportation infrastructure; supports the State’s Vision, as articulated in the ‘State Rail Plan’; and offers statewide social, environmental, and economic benefits that are greater than the capital and operating costs of its implementation.  Needs:  Address the mobility demands of future population growth.  Improve mobility through provision of a travel option.  Enhance economic development through improved connectivity.  Improve the State’s environmental quality and energy efficiency.  Provide economic benefits sufficient to receive new funding sources. 2

What the AGS & ICS Studies Accomplished  Assessed Technologies  Defined Alignments  Developed Engineering Based Cost Estimates  Developed Ridership Models  Evaluated Funding & Financing Possibilities  Assessed Benefits 11

Process - 24 months  Stakeholder Involvement  ICS Project Leadership Team  70 members  10 meetings up & down the I-25 Front Range Corridor  AGS Project Leadership Team  17 members  16 meetings east & west along the I-70 Mountain Corridor  Update the State Freight & Passenger Rail Plan 12

Outcomes 13  High Speed Transit demand for Longer-Distance Trips  Two commercially available technologies: rail & maglev  Alignments  Shared Railroad corridors impractical  Greenfield alignments along I-25 & I-70 facilitate HST  $75 M/mile front range – electric, dbl track, high-speed rail  $105 M/mile mountains – electric, dbl guideway, high-speed maglev  Significant local station development potential  Ridership  DIA is a critical long-term ridership market for both I-25 and I-70  75-80% of ridership is I-25 Front Range, 20-25% I-70 Mountain, 18 M/yr  Front Range System is Key to I-70 Mountain Ridership Success

Outcomes, continued 14  HST Not Financially Feasible at this Time  Full System $30.1B; Front Range $13.6B, Mountain Corridor $16.5B  Substantial Federal funds needed  Substantial new local (non-federal) funding source needed  Phased approach to get started?  Start along the Front Range  Commuter rail/upgradable to HST?  Phase 1, top priority?  Interoperability with RTD is a potential component  DUS / Central Area access is important to commuters  Maximize utilization of existing infrastructure, minimize transfers  Maximum flexibility to phase system development

Outcomes, continued  DIA Is One of Colorado’s Growth Hubs  Grow from 60 M passengers in 2015 to over 100 M passengers in 2030  Master Planned for 13 runways  Envisions an “Airport City” whose employment numbers will rival Downtown Denver and DTC in 2030; 70,000 employees  RTD’s Light & Commuter Rail System Is Key to Statewide Connectivity  Grow from 20 M rail passengers in 2012 to over 80 M rail passengers in 2035  Largest voter-approved transit expansion in the nation 15

High Speed Transit (HST) Vision for Colorado  N: N. Suburban to Ft Collins  S: So. Suburban to Pueblo  W: West Suburban to Eagle County Regional Airport  Metro:  West Suburban to DIA via C-470, I-76 or NWQ  North to South Suburban via E  Total Length: 340 mi  Capital Cost: $30.1 B  Operating Cost: $198.4 M/yr  Fare Revenue: $344 M/yr  Ridership: 18.3 M/yr (2035) Vision Description Vision Facts

High Speed Transit Next Steps State Rail Plan 2012: Goals & Policy Statements  Position Colorado for future Federal Funding  Integrate into Statewide Transportation Plan  Develop & Explore Implementation Options for a Regional Commuter Rail System  Support Linkages of Colorado’s Passenger Rail Systems to National Intercity & High Speed Networks Proposed 2014 Amendments to the State Rail Plan  Include Vision Network into unconstrained elements of State Rail Transit & Transportation Plans, MPO Plans, & Intermountain TPR  Recommendation to complete an Inter-Operate Assessment  Recommendation to explore an FRA- sanctioned prioritization process along the Front Range 17

Next Steps - Pipeline Ready 18  RTD Interoperability Assessment  Forthcoming FRA – FTA Joint Policy & Shared Use Coordinated safety authority Primarily addresses freight and urban transit HST and RTD covered  Partners: CDOT, RTD, FRA & FTA  Manageable, meaningful next step  Precursor to system prioritization  Leverage existing investment  FRA Pipeline Process  Next step to prioritize/define Front Range phasing plan – FRA Tier 1 Study  Exploring the pursuit of future funding for such efforts

Questions? For More Information: Mark Imhoff, Director Division of Transit & Rail David Krutsinger, AICP Tracey MacDonald Rail & Special Projects ManagerSenior Transit Planner CDOT – Division of Transit & Rail 4201 East Arkansas, Suite 227 Denver, CO