RTD’s Role in Intercity Passenger Rail Joint Service

RTD’s role in intercity passenger rail joint service

RTD is sharing its role in any potential future financing related to intercity passenger rail Joint Service along the Northwest Corridor (Joint Service)in connection with the Front Range Passenger Rail (FRPR) project also known as the Colorado Connector or “CoCo.” The following information clarifies what funding RTD’s Board of Directors has approved thus far and what is yet to be determined, subject to a comprehensive financial and implementation plan and RTD Board approval expected in 2027.

During a meeting held on April 28, 2026,the RTD Board of Directors approved $5.58 million toward funding of a 90% conceptual engineering design phase for capital construction projects within the RTD boundaries related to Joint Service. Specifically, this will support the preliminary funding estimates for Joint Service as negotiated in the BNSF term sheet, that is subject to the Board’s future approval of a comprehensive financial and implementation plan.This information may be found in the Board packet on page 77. Page 78 of the Board packet details preliminary funding estimates.

The 90% conceptual design funding will inform the projected costs of Joint Service, which are currently estimated as potential $156 million in the BNSF term sheet as an estimated one-time cost, along with potential $10-$12 million in annual cost. The BNSF term sheet is a non-binding framework that establishes preliminary cost estimates, service assumptions, and responsibilities for the proposed Joint Service project, subject to further analysis and future Board approval.

The RTD Board has NOT approved $156 million in funding for Joint Service associated with FRPR (CoCo). The Board is expected to consider potential future funding in 2027 based on the 90% conceptual engineering design and updated cost estimates in the comprehensive financial and implementation plan.