Transcript February, 2014

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 – 1992-1996
 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
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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
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CDOT Division of Transit & Rail
 The Division of Transit & Rail established in 2009
 Senate Bill 09-094
 Authority to plan, design, finance, operate, maintain
and contract for transit services.
 Also in 2009 Senate Bill 09-108 (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
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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
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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
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Statewide Transit Plan - 2014
 Regional Transit Plans
 Strategy-based
 Reflects a combination
of service, facility,
vehicle, & marketing /
communication needs.
 Financial Constraints
 State is 450 x 300 miles
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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
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Interregional Express Bus
FRISCO
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State Freight & Passenger Rail Plan - 2012
 Develop intercity and regional
passenger rail
 Facilitate Freight RR
Communication
 Railroads & Communities
 Economic Development
Opportunities
 Coordinate, Integrate, Connect
 Position Colorado for Federal
Funding
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AGS & ICS Studies 2012-2014
 Purpose:
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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.
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What the AGS & ICS Studies Accomplished
 Assessed Technologies
 Defined Alignments
 Developed Engineering Based Cost Estimates
 Developed Ridership Models
 Evaluated Funding & Financing Possibilities
 Assessed Benefits
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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
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Outcomes
 High Speed Transit demand for Longer-Distance Trips
 Two commercially available technologies: rail & maglev
 Alignments
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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
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Outcomes, continued
 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?
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 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
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Outcomes, continued
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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
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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
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High Speed Transit (HST) Vision for Colorado
Vision Description
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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-470
Vision Facts
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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)
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High Speed Transit Next Steps
State Rail Plan 2012: Goals &
Policy Statements
Proposed 2014 Amendments to the
State Rail Plan
 Position Colorado for future Federal
Funding
 Integrate into Statewide
Transportation Plan
 Include Vision Network into
unconstrained elements of State Rail
Transit & Transportation Plans, MPO
Plans, & Intermountain TPR
 Develop & Explore Implementation
Options for a Regional Commuter Rail
System
 Recommendation to complete an
Inter-Operate Assessment
 Support Linkages of Colorado’s
Passenger Rail Systems to National
Intercity & High Speed Networks
 Recommendation to explore an FRAsanctioned prioritization process
along the Front Range
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Next Steps - Pipeline Ready
RTD Interoperability Assessment
 Forthcoming FRA – FTA Joint Policy & Shared Use
• Coordinated safety authority
• Primarily addresses freight and urban transit
• HST and RTD covered
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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
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Questions?
For More Information:
Mark Imhoff, Director
Division of Transit & Rail
303-757-9007
[email protected]
David Krutsinger, AICP
Rail & Special Projects Manager
303-757-9008
[email protected]
Tracey MacDonald
Senior Transit Planner
303-757-9753
[email protected]
CDOT – Division of Transit & Rail
4201 East Arkansas, Suite 227
Denver, CO 80222
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