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Council reviews intergovernmental agreement to connect Fountain and Colorado Springs buses
Summary
City transit staff presented a proposed intergovernmental agreement with the City of Fountain to formalize bus transfer locations and keep funding, operations and compliance responsibilities with each agency; the agreement extends connections through 2030 and may be renewed.
Lan Veil, Transit Services Division manager for the City of Colorado Springs, presented a proposed intergovernmental agreement (IGA) that would formalize transfer locations between Mountain Metro Transit (the city’s system) and the City of Fountain’s transit service.
Veil said the IGA defines the transfer points and clarifies that each transit agency will continue to be responsible for its own funding, operations, reporting and compliance. "This agreement will allow our passengers and City of Fountain passengers to seamlessly transition between the two bus systems," Veil said. She told council the agreement would continue interconnections through 2030 and may be renewed for additional five‑year terms.
Veil highlighted transfer activity at key mobility hubs, saying the PPSC Centennial transit center alone recorded roughly 51,000 boardings on Mountain Metro routes. She described two stops along route 32 that will connect Fountain’s service to Mountain Metro’s routes at Academy and Hancock stations.
Council members asked why Fountain operates a separate deviated fixed‑route system rather than joining Mountain Metro. Veil said Fountain opted some years ago for a deviated fixed‑route service — a lower‑cost model that better fit the city’s needs — and also contracts with local senior centers to provide additional ADA/door‑to‑door service. When asked who pays for the interconnection, Veil said Fountain will pay for its own service and Colorado Springs will simply allow Fountain vehicles to stop at city stops; she said the arrangement benefits riders on both systems.
Why it matters: Formalizing transfer locations aims to make regional transit travel smoother for riders and to clarify agency responsibilities. Council members said they would like to pursue longer‑term regional connections as part of Mountain Metro’s long‑range transit vision.
Council next steps: Veil said the IGA will be included in the council’s regular packet for formal consideration at a future meeting; no vote was taken during the work session.
