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DENVER, CO — A broad coalition of elected officials, community organizations, environmental advocates, and transportation leaders today announced the release of joint letters urging Governor Jared Polis, the Regional Transportation District (RTD), the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and the Front Range Passenger Rail District (FRPR) to advance the Northern Front Range Joint Service Passenger Rail (“Joint Service”).
The letters, signed by 39 elected officials and 17 community organizations, express strong, unified support for the agencies’ collaborative effort to deliver long-overdue passenger rail service connecting the communities between Denver and Fort Collins by January 1, 2029.
In addition to Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, letter signers include House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver, and lawmakers representing communities along the corridor, including Fort Collins, Longmont, Loveland, Boulder, and Broomfield, among others.
The Boulder Chamber, Visit Fort Collins, Conservation Colorado, AARP Colorado, and the Longmont Economic Development Partnership also signed on.
“This project exemplifies regional cooperation at its best, reducing costs through efficiency, minimizing infrastructure requirements, and ensuring one operator manages the service,” the letters state. “We believe this initiative will catalyze renewed confidence in our transportation future, demonstrating tangible progress toward regional mobility, climate commitments, and economic growth.”
The letters highlight that the Joint Service leverages existing transportation resources, innovative funding strategies, and collaboration across multiple agencies, including CDOT, RTD, and FRPR. By consolidating operations and minimizing new infrastructure investment, the project keeps costs manageable and avoids the need for new taxes, while maintaining transparency, accountability, and robust community input.
“Joint Service is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to give Coloradans cleaner air, more affordable ways to get around, and stronger, better connected communities,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “By moving this project forward, we’re showing that Colorado is serious about sustainable growth and ready to build the foundation for the next era of Front Range transportation.”
The coalition’s letters urge the RTD Board and all relevant agencies to prioritize and fully support the Joint Service project as negotiations with BNSF and important decision points advance through the end of 2025.