Passenger Rail at CDOT
Our Services
The Passenger Rail Branch exists to develop and implement plans for passenger rail across the state. We accomplish this by developing reports to inventory railroad infrastructure, investigating opportunities for rail service expansion, identifying potential railroad abandonments and strategizing to protect them, and providing technical expertise on statewide railroad safety.
For more information on our services:
Our Vision
Our vision is to foster a robust and safe passenger and freight rail network that is an integral element of Colorado’s multimodal transportation system and supports access to sustainable mobility for all people, goods, and services.
Joint Service
Joint Service is a collaborative effort between several agencies to bring rail service to the Northwest Metro region. The main partners in this initiative include the Regional Transportation District (RTD), Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado Transportation Investment Office (CTIO), and the Front Range Passenger Rail District (FRPRD).
Colorado's General Assembly passed Senate Bill 24-184 (SB184), which authorized RTD, CDOT, CTIO, and FRPRD to develop an implementation plan for using their respective authorities to deliver, construct, and operate passenger rail service from Denver Union Station to Fort Collins, Colorado, as the first phase of front range passenger rail service. In addition to RTD’s existing revenue sources that may be utilized toward Joint Service, there are other new potential funding sources that can be leveraged. SB184 created a congestion impact daily rental car fee that may be used by CTIO for transportation infrastructure projects. Senate Bill 24-230 (SB230) authorizes the Clean Transit Enterprise (CTE) to impose an oil and gas production fee that may be used to fund clean transit options in Colorado.
On June 24, 2025, RTD's Board of Directors authorized the agency's General Manager and CEO to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement for the Joint Service Executive Committee Oversight. The Joint Service Executive Oversight Committee (JSEOC) continues to meet monthly to foster communication among the partner entities and to support project environmental, permitting, and construction readiness.
JSEOC partners hosted a webinar on Thursday, April 9, 2026, to announce the details of a negotiated term sheet between the partners and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway that serves as a framework defining how passenger rail service from Denver to Fort Collins will operate on freight-owned tracks.
This term sheet is the first step in establishing service through a future access agreement.
For more information on the Joint Service Executive Oversight Committee's past and future meetings, please refer to the RTD meeting schedule.
