What is the RTD Longmont Diagonal Rail Environmental Evaluation?
The RTD FasTracks program is conducting a detailed environmental and engineering study for the Longmont Diagonal rail corridor. The study area for this Environmental Evaluation (EE) includes the 13-mile Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad alignment and the communities of Boulder, Gunbarrel, Niwot and Longmont. Community involvement is important to the success of this study.

How is this Environmental Evaluation related to the RTD FasTracks program?
This Longmont Diagonal rail corridor is also known as the Longmont Extension in the RTD FasTracks program – a voter supported tax initiative and transit plan for the Denver metro region. The Longmont Extension to the US 36 (Denver to Boulder) corridor is part of this overall transit plan for the Denver metro region.

How is the Environmental Evaluation different from the Longmont Diagonal Rail Feasibility Study?
RTD completed its Longmont Diagonal Rail Feasibility Study in May 2005. This Study was conducted to determine the feasibility of potential commuter rail service in the Longmont Diagonal corridor. The study examined alternatives, identified station locations, community impacts and developed capital and operating costs. Read the Executive Summary from the Feasibility Study for more information.

The Feasibility Study was a planning study about whether passenger rail service would be possible as an extension from Boulder to Longmont. With voter approval of the RTD FasTracks program in November 2004, and overall community support for rail service in the Boulder and Longmont communities – the issues identified in the planning study will now be explored further in a detailed environmental and engineering study. This next study phase, the Environmental Evaluation (EE), will further focus on the "how" questions associated with providing rail service to the Diagonal communities, including Boulder, Gunbarrel, Niwot and Longmont.