The Colorado Connector Will Make Boulder Better for Businesses 

By Darcy Kitching
Senior Manager of Transportation & Executive Director, Boulder Chamber Transportation Connections 

Two weeks ago, I sat in a room full of people who have been waiting a long time for a train. The Front Range Passenger Rail District's town hall at the East Boulder Community Center drew a crowd that was energized, informed, hopeful, and, honestly, a little bit skeptical that fast, intercity rail service is really on track to reach Boulder and the northwest metro region by January 1, 2029.  

I left that meeting feeling more excited than nervous about the prospect of realizing initial rail service between Denver and Fort Collins, through Boulder and Longmont, by Governor Polis’ appointed opening day just over three years from now. We really can do this: the partnerships are in place, the funding outlook is strong, and our commuters and community members need this project now more than ever.   

The commute problem isn’t going away on its own

For those of us who work on transportation in the Boulder area every day, the specter of the “ghost train” haunts us still: voters approved RTD’s FasTracks plan and the B Line train 22 years ago, in 2004. Since then, the need for more comfortable, commuter-friendly, fast and efficient transportation options has only grown.  

According to the 2023 Boulder Valley Employee Survey, more than 65% of people who work in Boulder live outside of Boulder, and the vast majority (more than 70%) of those non-resident workers commute alone by car, creating peak-hour traffic congestion and contributing to our status as a “severe” nonattainment area for ozone pollution. While more Boulder workers are routinely telecommuting these days (10% of survey respondents said they worked from home two days per week in 2022, compared with just 1.9% in 2014), most are still driving into and around Boulder.  

Boulder-area employers tell us that commute burden affects their ability to recruit and retain top talent. Sitting in traffic and having to drive 10, 20 or more miles to work puts enormous strain on workers, and all that driving stresses our transportation systems, too. Commuter-oriented passenger rail – timed to peak demand, connecting the communities where workers actually live – is exactly the alternative we need, and soon. 

What’s actually being proposed

The proposed starter service, now dubbed the Colorado Connector (or “CoCo”) via a public naming poll, would run three round trips daily between Denver and Fort Collins, sharing tracks with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway freight trains. It's not the full FasTracks vision that Boulder County voters approved so long ago, but it moves that vision meaningfully forward, at a cost significantly lower than what RTD was projecting just last year. 

A coalition of RTD, the governor's office, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Colorado Transportation Investment Office (CTIO), and the Front Range Passenger Rail District developed a Joint Service plan that splits the cost: RTD would contribute a one-time payment of $156 million and cover a portion of annual operating costs, with CTIO committing $176 million up front and sharing ongoing operations, funded by fees passed by the state legislature over the past two years. On Tuesday, April 28, the RTD Board of Directors took an important step toward realizing this plan by voting 14 to 1 to advance $5.58 million from the FasTracks Internal Savings Account (FISA) to complete the 90% conceptual design for the capital projects associated with Joint Service (phase one of the Colorado Connector).  

The Front Range Passenger Rail District Board Chair, John Putnam, has said publicly that he would rather start service before every station area is fully built out than wait for a perfect system. That pragmatism is exactly right, and Boulder Chamber Transportation Connections shares it completely. A good starter train that runs in 2029 is worth far more than a perfect train that never comes.  

The opportunity goes beyond the commute

There's another dimension to this worth naming for the Boulder business community specifically. The City of Boulder and communities with stops along the Joint Service/Northwest Rail corridor are already actively planning their station areas — work that will contribute to economic vitality, transit-oriented housing development, and long-term accessibility. Rail projects shape the communities they connect as they move people among them. 

And consider the Sundance Film Festival. Boulder's contract runs 10 years. If the Colorado Connector arrives in 2029 as planned, festival attendees would have a train option for eight of those 10 years. That would reduce parking pressure, expand the catchment area for attendees, and give Boulder an edge on continuing to host this world-class event.   

The Front Range Passenger Rail District is preparing to go to Colorado voters to ask for a dedicated tax to fund the full buildout of its system, from Fort Collins to Pueblo. The strength of that ballot campaign will depend significantly on demonstrated momentum: partnerships in place, credible timelines, and communities visibly engaged. RTD's continued commitment to Joint Service is a direct investment in helping that ballot measure succeed. If the tax passes, it will fund the system that will serve our region for generations. 

At the RTD Board meeting this week, I joined several other members of the public in urging the board to advance funding from its FISA reserves to support the conceptual design of capital projects associated with Joint Service. They took that recommended action. That's an essential step forward. But securing the Colorado Connector’s launch date of January 1, 2029, will require continued pressure, continued engagement, and continued advocacy from the business community.  

Boulder's employers, workers, and residents have a direct stake in this project. We know we need more and better transportation options – just ask anyone who has spent a Tuesday morning crawling into Boulder on US 36 or CO 119. 

What you can do

Reach out to your RTD Board representative and let them know the business community is watching, and is supportive of Joint Service and the Colorado Connector. Follow the Front Range Passenger Rail District's progress and engage with their ballot effort when it materializes. And if you haven't already, attend a public meeting or town hall. This is a moment when showing up matters. 

Our train from Denver to Boulder is more than 20 years overdue. The pieces are finally in place to make it real. Share your story about how passenger rail will help you and your business, or even just why you’re excited to see the project come together at last.  I’ve been a fan of passenger rail since I was a child growing up outside of Denver. My family and I used to ride the California Zephyr from Denver to Glenwood Springs and back, and I can’t wait to take “CoCo” up and down the Front Range with my son starting in 2029.