Transit Connections Study

Cartoon version of a complete street

Overview

Transit is an important part of Colorado’s transportation system. It helps to manage traffic congestion, improve mobility, connect urban and rural communities, and reduce air pollution. In working towards building a statewide transit network, CDOT’s Division of Transit and Rail (DTR) launched the Transit Connections Study (TCS).

The TCS aims to provide a strategic vision for an interconnected statewide transit network. This includes identifying transit gaps and needs and highlighting opportunities to further integrate Colorado’s transit network with intercity, regional, and local transit/mobility providers.

This study envisions a future where Colorado’s Statewide Transit Network is:

  • Comprehensive: Providing a connected network of services across the state, focusing on key corridors.
  • Accessible & Equitable: Addressing the needs of rural, underserved, and transit-dependent communities by ensuring equitable transit access and breaking down barriers to mobility opportunities
  • Reliable: Enhancing transit services through infrastructure improvements and maintaining consistent, predictable travel times for transit users.
  • Integrated: Collaborating with local transit agencies and communities to ensure seamless connections between transit systems, mobility hubs,
    Sustainable: Considering operational costs alongside capital needs to ensure long-term financial viability and strategic investments.
  • Fosters Strategic Growth: Encouraging denser development near transit hubs, reducing car dependence and emissions but also maximizing infrastructure use for a sustainable future.

CDOT staff is partnering with Cambridge Analytics to identify transit gaps throughout the state. Working from the community level to identify opportunities to increase connectivity, access, and equity for public transit. The study will identify areas to add transit to meet existing travel demand in areas where transit currently doesn’t exist. The study will propose transit project typologies and recommend potential solutions to fulfilling the gaps.

The TCS will form a piece of CDOT’s transit planning and investment decisions for the next decade, working towards tackling traffic congestion and promoting a more sustainable transportation system, along with fostering strategic growth through accessible multimodal options in Colorado.