State officials say a starter Front Range passenger rail could run by 2029 using existing fees; RTD funding gap remains

State and regional advisers told the City and County of Broomfield on March 18 that a “joint service” starter passenger rail running on the RTD B line corridor could be launched far sooner and more cheaply than earlier single‑agency plans, if various state fees and RTD resources are committed.

The advisers said the March 1 joint study modeled a starter service with as few as three daily round trips and eight initial stations, and estimated first‑year operating and debt costs at about $83 million. “By using one operator, one access agreement with BNSF and one route, we reduce inefficiencies and can deliver a reliable starter service,” said Brandon Schafer, Special Adviser for Passenger Rail and Transit.

Barrick Abramson, who helped prepare the joint study, said the capital and operating model the team used assumes available revenue from new fee streams the legislature authorized in 2024 — commonly referred to in the presentation as the SB 184 rental‑car fee set‑aside and the SB 230 oil‑and‑gas production fee — plus RTD contributions and farebox revenue. He told council the joint study’s financial model shows about $42 million annually could come from the state fee streams if boards allocate 50% of those revenues to joint service, leaving a roughly $41 million annual shortfall that RTD would need to fill or offset with in‑kind support such as access to the B Line or other non‑cash contributions.

Abramson said the joint project’s total capital cost estimate used in the study is $885 million, including a 30% contingency because project design is at an early stage. He said that amount and the annual operating plus debt service estimate of $83 million would be sufficient to operate starter service and that most of the infrastructure would be reusable for a later Front Range Passenger Rail (FRPR) buildout.

Council members pressed for detail about the proposed schedule and service pattern. “You haven’t defined when those round trips are going to occur,” said Councilmember Ward, questioning whether three round trips would be “usable” commuter service. Abramson said the study modeled bi‑directional trains (not concentrated peak runs) and that detailed schedules are part of the next phase of work.

Abramson and Schafer stressed the joint service is designed to be a bridge toward a fuller regional system: the joint service could operate independently or be merged into Front Range Passenger Rail if FRPR secures ballot funding later. Schafer emphasized the authority and negotiation simplifications of a single operator and a single access agreement with BNSF Railway.

Several council members and residents raised equity and priority questions. Council members pointed out that jurisdictions north of Broomfield — including Loveland and Fort Collins, which are outside the RTD district — are included in FRPR plans, and asked whether Broomfield would be skipped in any later phases. Abramson said the joint service was designed specifically to add stations for communities that previous plans would otherwise have bypassed and that federal intercity definitions and future federal funding considerations will shape final station selections.

Local reaction in the meeting was mixed: some council members said the plan could restore voter confidence in transit by showing tangible service before a regional ballot measure, while others said three round trips are insufficient for most commuters and worry the starter plan could be used to justify asking voters for more taxes without delivering robust service.

What happens next: the presenters said the March 1 report answered a legislative question about whether unallocated state fee revenues and partner contributions could fund a starter service; the study team recommended a next phase of engineering, access negotiations with BNSF, interagency agreements, and station design. Presenters repeatedly said RTD has not committed the cash shortfall and that the March 1 work was a feasibility/financial modeling exercise, not a final funding package.

Quotes (selected): "By having one operator of the full service, we reduce any of the inefficiencies…" — Brandon Schafer, Special Adviser for Passenger Rail and Transit. "If the state contributes the $42 million annually, there's that $41 million gap to be filled by RTD." — Barrick Abramson, joint‑study adviser.

Ending: Council members asked the presenters to return with more schedule and ridership detail during the next phase of analysis; presenters said they will continue interagency negotiations and engineering work and report back as designs and funding commitments firm up.