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Adams County cities unify against FasTracks option

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Contributed by: Joseph Kirchmer/YourHub.com on 11/6/2008

Option 2 is not an option for cities in Adams County.

The cities of Commerce City, Northglenn and Thornton have banded together to voice opposition to the so-called option 2, one of several proposals RTD recently presented in its FasTracks Options Review plan. RTD is grappling with higher than expected construction costs for the FasTracks plan, a 12-year, $4.7 billion light rail and bus expansion passed by metro area voters in 2004.

After the expected cost of the project ballooned to $7.9 billion, officials with RTD presented a number of different proposals in a series of public roundtable meetings around the metro area. One of the proposals, option 2, would allow RTD to build only one of four new corridors -- North Metro, North West, US 36 Bus Rapid Transit "BRT", and I-225 -- with no guarantees that the one chosen would be the North Metro Corridor, the 18-mile rail transit corridor that would run through Commerce City, Northglenn, Thornton and unincorporated Adams County.

"Obviously, Commerce City is interested in seeing the entire network built," said Commerce City mayor Paul Natale. "And we think it's in the best interest of all the cities in Adams County, as well as the county itself, to work together with RTD in order to ensure the success of a full build out of the light rail system."

Many cities in the county already have made preliminary plans around the proposed light stations -- some of which include plans to help stimulate economic growth.

Commerce City is including plans for two proposed stations in its Comprehensive Plan -- one location is near East 68th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard and the other at East 72nd Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, said Chris Cramer, planning manager for Commerce City.

City planners are reviewing which of the two proposed rail stations would offer the most benefit for the city and will recommend its favorite to RTD when the study is completed.

The plan for the North Metro Corridor includes only one station in Commerce City.

AT A GLANCE
The five options currently being discussed by RTD are:
•Build segments of each of the four remaining corridors until time and money run out in 2017

•Build only one complete corridor by 2017

•Build segments of each corridor, continuing construction as funds become available beyond 2017.

•Build single tracks instead of double tracks, allowing longer segments to be built in each corridor. The North Metro segment would end at East 112th Avenue in this option.

•Seek additional revenue sources. Possible sources include: partnering with the Colorado Department of Transportation; seeking additional public/private funding; seeking federal transportation grants; sales tax increase; increase RTD fares and fees.

SOURCE: CITY OF
COMMERCE CITY

Thornton city council passed a resolution voicing their opposition to option 2 at its Oct. 28 meeting, joining the cities of Northglenn and Commerce City. Adams County Commissioners also passed a similar resolution in early October.

Gene Putman, transportation and planning manager for the city of Thornton, said the city already has worked on plans for four of the five proposed light rail station sites proposed in the FasTracks plan. Those plans include talking with property owners located near the sites and working with developers interested in building around the stations.

While the light rail expansion is expected to bring in added revenues to the city, the real benefit is for the city's residents, he said.

"It provides a transportation alternative that people currently don't have," Putman said. "Right now the only alternative is I-25, which obviously can become very congested, especially in the morning and at night."

The RTD board, which recently welcomed five new members, will hear a report from staff Nov. 6 on the public's response to the options that were presented. Putman anticipates option 2 will be taken off the table, citing a negative response from both residents and city officials.

"I think the board will be told that option 2 is gone," he said.

The board is expected to review alternative methods of funding that would ensure the FasTracks project is fully completed as planned by 2017. Those methods include raising sales taxes and lobbying for more state and federal funding.

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Showing 1 of 1 comments

Submitted By: Tony Hake

posted on 11/6/2008 @ 4:22:24 PM

Rated Story

I would like to know why a sixth option wasn't presented - that of canceling the project entirely and starting over. If I contract with someone to put a roof on my house and they then come back and jack up the price 68% and to make matters worse, they tell me I will only get 60% of my roof done am I really expected to accept that? Heck no. That contractor would be out on the street faster than you can say “boondoggle.” RTD and the taxpayers entered into a contract when FasTracks was approved. That contract said that we would pay RTD $4.7 billion for a completely built out commuter rail system. RTD not only cannot deliver the project at the cost taxpayers agreed to, they cannot deliver the project we were promised. That contract should be considered null and void and should be cancelled. If RTD then wants to continue to pursue this project, they can then come back to voters with it. Maybe the second time around they can get it right.

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