Colorado Gov. Polis rides demo train on Front Range rail route

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other state and community leaders yesterday rode an inspection train from Denver to Longmont, part of the proposed Front Range Passenger Rail route between Pueblo and Fort Collins.

The Federal Railroad Administration recently selected the route as part of the new Corridor Identification and Development Program, which aims to drive future passenger-rail expansion.

"I'm excited to take the first demo train for front-range passenger rail, which we are building out to improve our quality of life and reduce traffic," Polis said in a press release. "Historic federal funding for passenger rail is giving our state the opportunity of a lifetime to provide Coloradans with easy, convenient, and safe travel by train."

Expanding passenger rail will help create more housing opportunities, including transit-oriented communities near transit, Polis said. After arriving in Longmont, the governor and other attendees disembarked from the train and walked through a transit-oriented community.

In December 2023, the FRA announced the first round of Corridor ID selections to upgrade 15 existing rail routes, add or extend service on 47 new routes, and advance seven new high-speed rail projects, creating a pipeline of intercity passenger-rail projects ready for implementation and future investment. The selected corridors received $500,000 grants to be used for planning.

The Colorado General Assembly is working to ensure Colorado takes the appropriate planning and coordination steps to secure Colorado's fair share of this historic funding, according to a press release issued by Polis' office.