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DENVER, CO - The House today advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to improve mass transit options in Colorado. SB25-161, sponsored by Representatives William Lindstedt and Meg Froelich, would make changes to the Regional Transportation District (RTD) to expand access to transit and improve accountability and transparency.
“Coloradans deserve safe, affordable and reliable transportation options,” said Rep. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield, sponsor of SB25-161 and SB25-030. “Colorado’s population has dramatically grown in the past decade, especially in the Front Range, and we must take a strategic approach to build up transit that serves the needs of our communities. I’m proud to sponsor legislation to identify funding gaps, create accountability measures and expand access to low-cost transit passes to improve Colorado’s transit options.”
“Transit is a key piece of the puzzle that can help Colorado meet our housing and climate goals, and reliable transit saves Coloradans money,” said Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood, sponsor of SB25-161 and SB25-030. “Colorado Democrats have made major strides to improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and provide quality transit systems. These bills will help ease traffic by increasing ridership, reliability, and safety on mass transit so we can get more single-occupancy vehicles off the roads and safely get Coloradans where they need to go.”
SB25-161 would require RTD to develop an ambitious 10-year strategic plan to expand and improve transit in the Front Range, aligning its goals with state climate goals and enhancing partnerships with local governments. The bill would increase ridership by directing RTD to expand access to affordable EcoPasses through apartments or employers and set targets for enrollment for low-income discounted transit passes.
The bill would improve transparency and accountability by creating public dashboards on its website for riders to access information on transit performance, safety, and reliability. Finally, the bill would also establish an RTD Accountability Committee with fourteen voting members and one ex-officio nonvoting member to evaluate RTD’s governance structure, local and state agency representation, and workforce retention, as well as develop recommendations.
The House also passed SB25-030 to increase transportation options, making sustainable transportation more accessible, convenient, and reliable. The bill would better allow the Colorado Department of Transportation and local governments to efficiently identify gaps in transit, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure in state and regional transportation systems. SB25-030 passed by a vote of 40-23.