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DRCOG hears support for FasTracks
A big crowd turned out for the Denver Regional Council of Government's Jan. 21 public hearing on FasTracks and the majority of the more than 30 people who spoke at the meeting supported the concept to create a modern mass transit system for the Denver metro area.
By By:Tom Munds
A big crowd turned out for the Denver Regional Council of Government's Jan. 21 public hearing on FasTracks and the majority of the more than 30 people who spoke at the meeting supported the concept to create a modern mass transit system for the Denver metro area.
"We were very pleased by the people's comments made during the DRCOG public hearing," Scott Reed, RTD public information officer, said. "The comments were overwhelmingly positive and we feel that is a good sign that people will support the FasTracks plan."
FasTracks is RTD comprehensive proposal to spend $4.7 billion over the next 12 year to create an interconnecting system of 118 miles of rail corridors and 18 miles of rapid-transit bus routes serving residents throughout the metro area.
DRCOG is the metro planning organization and is required by state law to evaluate the financing and construction plans for the Regional Transportation proposal to construct the mass transit network. The Jan. 21 meeting was part of the evaluation process. Tentative plans are for DRCOG to take the information gathered at the Jan. 21 public hearing and to spend time evaluating the feasibility of FasTracks in order to bring the issue to the board for a vote at the April 21 meeting.
If DRCOG determines the plan is feasible, RTD will go to the voters in November seeking a sales-tax increase which will be a major funding source for FasTracks.. The request would seek voter approval to hike the RTD sales tax from .6 of a percent to 1 percent which equals a penny on the dollar.
If votes pass the tax request in November, RTD begins receiving the extra revenue in January 2005 and they plan to immediately start work on the 12-year plan.
The Jan. 21 meeting began with an RTD presentation about FasTracks. Cal Marsella, RTD executive director, used maps and charts to explain FasTracks. He explained the proposal for establishing transit corridors and said FasTracks is really 11 separate projects that, when completed, will create a mass transit system that extends throughout the metro area.
Connie Phillips attended the meeting but didn't sign up to speak.
"I have read bits and pieces about this (FasTracks) but really don't know much about it," the Englewood woman said. "I decided to come to the meeting so I could hear the details. It seems like a good idea but I guess I'm concerned about the cost and where they will get all the money. I worry that, if they rely on federal funds and the money doesn't come that the local taxpayers will be on the hook to pay more to complete the project."
FasTracks plans include:
* making the Union Station the hub of the metro area transit system.
* building a light rail line along Interstate 225 to serve Aurora City Center and the facilities planned at the Fitzsimons Medical Campus.
* establishing a commuter rail line serving the east metro area including the Stapleton development and the Denver International Airport
* combining either light rail or diesel-powered trains and special bus lanes to serve Thornton, Northglenn to serve the metro area as far north as 136th Avenue.
* establishing a commuter rail line through Arvada, Wheat Ridge to serve the western area as far as Golden
* constructing the Southeast Corridor parallel to Interstate 25 as far south as Park Meadows
* creating a commuter rail line along U.S. Highway 36 to serve Boulder and Longmont
* extending the Southwest Corridor to Highlands Ranch and make improvements to the stations along the existing line.
If DRCOG approves FasTracks as expected, the next step will be to ask voters to approve the tax increase. The tentative plans are to hold a special board meeting as soon as DRCOG approves FasTracks to authorize a request to the secretary of state to put the issue on the November 2004 ballot.
If the secretary of state approves the request, volunteers will set out to collect the approximately 50,000 signatures needed to get the issue on the ballot. The goal is to have the petitions filed and approved by September 2004.
A sales tax increase would allow RTD to repay a planned bond issue, which would provide about $2.4 billion for the program. Certificates of Participation would raise about $190 million and RTD would put up about $924 million in "pay-as-you-go" cash. RTD is seeking about $851 million in federal funds. The remainder, about $350 million, would come from the contributions of communities along the corridors and a Transportation Infrastructure Financial Innovation loan.
"We were very pleased by the people's comments made during the DRCOG public hearing," Scott Reed, RTD public information officer, said. "The comments were overwhelmingly positive and we feel that is a good sign that people will support the FasTracks plan."
FasTracks is RTD comprehensive proposal to spend $4.7 billion over the next 12 year to create an interconnecting system of 118 miles of rail corridors and 18 miles of rapid-transit bus routes serving residents throughout the metro area.
DRCOG is the metro planning organization and is required by state law to evaluate the financing and construction plans for the Regional Transportation proposal to construct the mass transit network. The Jan. 21 meeting was part of the evaluation process. Tentative plans are for DRCOG to take the information gathered at the Jan. 21 public hearing and to spend time evaluating the feasibility of FasTracks in order to bring the issue to the board for a vote at the April 21 meeting.
If DRCOG determines the plan is feasible, RTD will go to the voters in November seeking a sales-tax increase which will be a major funding source for FasTracks.. The request would seek voter approval to hike the RTD sales tax from .6 of a percent to 1 percent which equals a penny on the dollar.
If votes pass the tax request in November, RTD begins receiving the extra revenue in January 2005 and they plan to immediately start work on the 12-year plan.
The Jan. 21 meeting began with an RTD presentation about FasTracks. Cal Marsella, RTD executive director, used maps and charts to explain FasTracks. He explained the proposal for establishing transit corridors and said FasTracks is really 11 separate projects that, when completed, will create a mass transit system that extends throughout the metro area.
Connie Phillips attended the meeting but didn't sign up to speak.
"I have read bits and pieces about this (FasTracks) but really don't know much about it," the Englewood woman said. "I decided to come to the meeting so I could hear the details. It seems like a good idea but I guess I'm concerned about the cost and where they will get all the money. I worry that, if they rely on federal funds and the money doesn't come that the local taxpayers will be on the hook to pay more to complete the project."
FasTracks plans include:
* making the Union Station the hub of the metro area transit system.
* building a light rail line along Interstate 225 to serve Aurora City Center and the facilities planned at the Fitzsimons Medical Campus.
* establishing a commuter rail line serving the east metro area including the Stapleton development and the Denver International Airport
* combining either light rail or diesel-powered trains and special bus lanes to serve Thornton, Northglenn to serve the metro area as far north as 136th Avenue.
* establishing a commuter rail line through Arvada, Wheat Ridge to serve the western area as far as Golden
* constructing the Southeast Corridor parallel to Interstate 25 as far south as Park Meadows
* creating a commuter rail line along U.S. Highway 36 to serve Boulder and Longmont
* extending the Southwest Corridor to Highlands Ranch and make improvements to the stations along the existing line.
If DRCOG approves FasTracks as expected, the next step will be to ask voters to approve the tax increase. The tentative plans are to hold a special board meeting as soon as DRCOG approves FasTracks to authorize a request to the secretary of state to put the issue on the November 2004 ballot.
If the secretary of state approves the request, volunteers will set out to collect the approximately 50,000 signatures needed to get the issue on the ballot. The goal is to have the petitions filed and approved by September 2004.
A sales tax increase would allow RTD to repay a planned bond issue, which would provide about $2.4 billion for the program. Certificates of Participation would raise about $190 million and RTD would put up about $924 million in "pay-as-you-go" cash. RTD is seeking about $851 million in federal funds. The remainder, about $350 million, would come from the contributions of communities along the corridors and a Transportation Infrastructure Financial Innovation loan.
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