HomeMy WebLinkAbout20203919.tiffSOUTHWEST CHIEF & FRONT RANGE
PASSENGER RAIL COMMISSION
Jill Gaebler, Chair
Southwest Chief Et Front Range
Passenger Rail Commission
December 18, 2020
To: Weld County
Re: Call to Action
To Whom It May Concern,
RECEIVED
DEC 2 8 2020
WELD COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
We know people are excited about the prospect of passenger rail along the Front Range! We want to keep our important local
partners informed on how the Rail Commission intends to move forward with planning around the Southwest Chief and Front
Range Passenger Rail Commission's (Rail Commission) effort to complete its 2017 charge from the State Legislature to
facilitate the development of Front Range Passenger Rail (FRPR).
The Legislature provided $2.5 million in funding in July 2018 for the Rail Commission to initiate a planning effort that
included a stakeholder engagement process, conducting preliminary alternatives analysis, and investigating
potential governance options for Front Range Passenger Rail moving into the future. The first stage of these planning efforts
will be complete by year's end.
The Rail Commission has engaged with the general public utilizing surveys, polls and an online public meeting over the course
of the past 14 months. All three of these have indicated a willingness from Front Range residents to help/partner/support
the funding for the future of passenger rail!
A significant accomplishment for the Rail Commission was receiving two Consolidated Railroad Infrastructure and Safety
Improvement (CRISI) grants from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The first CRISI grant, focuses on analyzing ways
to expand the current Southwest Chief service to Pueblo and Colorado Springs and will be underway in early 2021. The second
grant, a 2020 CRISI grant, is for rail traffic modeling and further defining a potential rail service plan which could begin in the
second half of 2021.
Additionally, there is cautious optimism around Amtrak's portion of the re -authorization of the federal transportation funding
bill. Amtrak's proposal -would create a new $25 billion Corridor Development Program. Amtrak indicated publicly that the
Colorado Front Range Corridor between Pueblo and Fort Collins is their #1 priority nationally. We will continue to track this
when the new Congress reconvenes.
The FRPR project is planning on submitting a Notice of Intent to enter into NEPA in the future, and CDOT is helping to move
the planning process into that NEPA phase.
Today, we are proposing two things for your consideration:
• The first, speak with your legislative lobbyist or keep in touch with your elected officials about passenger rail. Ask
them to keep their ears open to future legislative proposals on passenger rail and work with the Rail Commission,
CDOT, and all our stakeholders to make sure the message continues to be heard.
• Second, the Rail Commission asks for your consideration of future matching funds for an upcoming ask to
the USDOT for future CRISI funding for the FRPR project's future NEPA process. Such commitments from local matching
partners can be a determining factor when evaluating competing grant applications.
Thank you on behalf of the entire Southwest Chief and Front Range Passenger Rail Commission!
Sincerely,
Jill Gaebler, Chair
Southwest Chief It Front Range Passenger Rail
Commission
0(602.1
cc : PwC Jm I ER)
of /0$/9,1
2020-3919
Hello