Interregional Connectivity Study (ICS)

What is the ICS?

CDOT's Division of Transit & Rail and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently kicked off the Interregional Connectivity Study (ICS), which will examine:

• High-speed technologies:
  This study is examining multiple types of high speed technologies currently used in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
• Alignments (paths the high speed rail could potentially follow):
  A variety of alignments will be studied for each section of the study area, and will consider impacts, design feasibility, public input, benefits, and technology. The use of current railroad alignments may constrain the speed and type of technology used.
• Financial/funding options:
  All avenues of funding will be considered including public and private financing options. A phased strategy of implementation will allow for a package of different funding opportunities.
• Travel demand and ridership:
  Travel demand and ridership will be calculated through developing models that simulate potential ridership in the future based on current data trends, and will take into account numerous factors including future land use, employment, population, and development.

The study has a broad reach, extending from Fort Collins to Pueblo—including the Denver and Colorado Springs metropolitan areas.

ICS Will Build on Past Studies

The ICS builds on past studies and will try to understand the potential relationships of a high-speed rail system with the Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) transit system in the Denver metro area.

ICS is utilizing many of the past Colorado high-speed rail studies as a starting point, including the:

• Colorado State Freight and Passenger Rail Plan (2012)
• Rocky Mountain Rail Authority High Speed Rail Feasibility Study (2010)
• North I-25  Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
• I-70 Programmatic EIS 

The ICS takes these studies to the next level by identifying potential paths for high speed rail through the metropolitan areas, to connect to Denver International Airport (DIA), identify station locations, and determine the best interface with RTD in the Denver metro area.

CDOT is also leading the Advanced Guideway System (AGS) Feasibility Study to examine high speed transit options from Denver to Eagle through the I-70 Mountain Corridor. The ICS and AGS studies are working together to ensure maximum coordination on all study elements and are dependent on one another to plan for a comprehensive future system.

When the ICS is finished, the final report will provide preliminary recommendations. However, it is important to point out that just because the study may result with recommendations, it does not mean that they will necessarily be acted on or that they will be funded.

What is high speed rail?

There are multiple definitions for high speed rail in the US. It is different from the light rail and future commuter rail services known to many in the Denver area, as trains will travel much faster and will connect major population/activity centers that today may be serviced by longer car trips and short air trips. The ICS follows the guidance by the FRA to define what the study means by high speed rail. FRA breaks high speed rail into the four following types:

• Express – Characterized by frequent service to major activity/population centers approximately 200-600 miles apart. Express service has few stops and a top speed of at least 150 MPH.
• Regional – Provides relatively frequent service to major/moderate activity/population centers 100–500 miles apart with some intermediate stops. The top speed is approximately 110–150 MPH.
• Emerging High Speed Rail – Typically in linking developing activity/population centers 100–500 miles apart with a top speed of up to 90–110 MPH.
• Conventional Rail – Traditional passenger rail service between activity/population centers more than 100 miles apart. One to 12 daily frequencies with a top speed up to 79 to 90 MPH.

*Note: Corridor lengths are approximate; slightly shorter or longer intercity services may still help meet strategic goals in a cost effective manner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is CDOT studying high speed transportation?

CDOT is a multimodal organization, which means we need to explore several means of transportation. With significant increases of population and employment expected in the coming years, there will be significant strain on the current highway routes (primarily I-25 and I-70). To plan for the future, new high speed technologies are being considered as a potential solution. It is important to plan for the future now to ensure Colorado continues to grow, prosper, and create employment.

Is there a need for high speed rail on the Front Range?

Past studies have determined that sufficient ridership exists to advance the investigation into high speed rail both on the Front Range and generally in Colorado. Congestion on our roads and in our airports will only continue to increase, so CDOT is exploring a multimodal transportation system that seeks to deliver travelers in an efficient and safe manner to their destination (now and in the future) throughout the state. A more diversified transportation network (including rail) supports this goal.

What does the term ‘technologies’ mean in relation to high speed rail?

This study is examining multiple types of high speed technologies including (but not limited to) Acela high speed trains (currently used in US), Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) technology, and various types of high speed technologies currently used in Europe and Asia.  Technologies will vary based on potential alignments and whether existing tracks (railroad and/or RTD) are used. The use of existing rail tracks will limit the technologies that can be considered. The study will also look at the relationship between a system along the Front Range and a system along the I-70 Mountain Corridor and how they both would connect to RTD’s FasTracks system in the Denver metro area.

Is this an environmental study or Federal environmental impact statement (EIS)?

No, the ICS is not a federally sanctioned EIS or environmental study and actually is just one of several studies that must be completed prior to an EIS. The ICS will identify the feasible next steps for high speed rail on the Front Range by building off past studies. At some point in the future, before a project could be implemented, it will be required to go through the state and federal environmental process, which would require additional funding. Following the environmental processes, and contingent on the outcome of the results, the plan could go into a potential design phase, which would also require funding. This study is by no means ready for implementation for many years to come.

How does the ICS relate to high speed transit to the mountains along I-70?

The ICS is examining high speed rail options for the Front Range while a concurrent study (the Advanced Guideway System (AGS) feasibility study) is working on options for high speed transit from Jefferson County to Eagle County Regional Airport along I-70. The two studies are interconnected and the study teams are coordinating directly with each other. The analysis to determine the ridership for both the ICS and AGS studies is being completed jointly.

In this time of economic hardship, how would this system be paid for?

If the ICS recommends advancing high speed rail along the Front Range, financial analysis, cost estimates, and funding plan will be developed as a product of the study. One key need identified by the study is that any future high speed rail project must, "provide economic benefits sufficient to receive new funding." Therefore, the benefits of the system must be greater than the cost over the life of the high speed rail system. Simply put, even though we are completing the study as per our mission statement, we have no funding identified to move the project forward at this time.

How were initial alignments (routes) and station locations determined?

Initial routes and stations were determined based primarily on the research and analysis completed through past studies including the RMRA Study and the State Rail Plan. The options examined in these studies formed the long list of alignments for review by stakeholders. Based on public reaction and further analysis, additional alignment options will be considered and some options, like the Black Forest alignment, have already been eliminated. Actual station location options have yet to be refined. Stations will not be addressed until the team is able to further narrow the alignment options. At this point in the study, there is no preferred alignment option nor preferred station location options.

Will other alignments be considered by the study team?

Yes. The alignments under consideration were developed based on past study results. The alignments have been presented to stakeholders for their initial consideration. However, the team is open to considering other good ideas as the alignments are not final and there is no preferred alignment option. As new information and analysis is conducted, the team will refine the alignments to form the best option to maximize the benefits and minimize impacts.

Has CDOT identified a preferred alignment?

No, neither a preferred alignment nor a preferred technology has been identified by CDOT.

What are potential funding options for implementation of HSR?

A critical outcome of the ICS will be to identify funding options for segments of the system and for the entire system. There are a range of potential funding options that will be considered and funding will likely not come from a single source. Multiple options will be investigated including public‐private partnerships, federal funding sources, state support, federal credit enhancements, bonds, etc.

What is the timeline for potential implementation of HSR? What other steps are required?

Significant planning (including environmental impact analysis) and engineering must precede implementation of any infrastructure project this large. Any future high speed technology implementation would happen in phases, and would require stakeholder support as well as funding, none of which has been identified at this time. Even if the study determines that high speed rail is feasible, implementation is many years into the future, and CDOT is merely trying to plan ahead for a variety of transportation options in the state.

Why is CDOT looking at HSR along the Front Range when FREX (Front Range Express) was eliminated?

A common misunderstanding is that FREX ended due to low ridership, which is incorrect. FREX ridership and cost recovery was very strong, but even with its success, budget constraints faced by the funding agencies were simply too great and can no longer support the FREX service. Analysis of future conditions suggests that there will be a greater need for travel along the Front Range and for significant infrastructure projects.

Will there be other opportunities to provide input?

Yes. There will be two more series of public open houses as part of this study. They are anticipated to occur in winter 2012/2013 and spring/summer 2013. At the meetings, the most current information will be presented and similar to the first series of public open houses, there will be opportunities for stakeholders to provide their feedback to the study team. 

Process

Process Overview

Previous studies concluded that high speed rail is potentially feasible on the I-70 and I-25 corridors, but did not make any final recommendations for implementation. The ICS will build on these previous studies to learn more details about alignments, station locations, and technology options.

Two outcomes can occur as a result of the ICS. The first would be that the study determines that high speed rail, though previously thought feasible, ends up being not feasible after the details are evaluated. The second would result in a recommendation for a specific future high speed rail project, including a ‘purpose and needs’ statement to define what the project would achieve and why. These steps do not move so far as to include an EIS, design plans, or funding options.

Purpose & Needs

The purpose of exploring high speed rail is to:

• Provide Colorado with a well-supported option for transportation that connects communities and destinations for interregional business and tourism travel
• Build on and strengthens Colorado’s existing transportation infrastructure
• Support the state’s vision as articulated in the state rail plan
• Determine whether the state-wide social, environmental, and economic benefits outweigh the costs of implementing high speed rail.

The ICS is needed to present potential solutions to the following needs:

• Address the mobility demands of future population growth.
• Improve mobility and system capacity through provision of an additional travel option.
• Enhance economic growth and development through improved connectivity.
• Improve the State’s environmental quality and energy efficiency.
• Provide economic benefits sufficient to receive new funding sources.

Milestone By Milestone

The study process has been developed to achieve broad goals while seeking stakeholder input at each major step.

Details for each milestone is listed below.

Milestone 1
Chartering & Vision – In May 2012, the study kicked off by engaging with each of the local cities, counties, metropolitan planning organizations, and regulatory agency stakeholders to get their support for the study vision, evaluation process, and public outreach strategies.

Milestone 2
Initial Evaluation – In June and July 2012, the study team examined multiple potential alignments (paths the high speed rail may follow) from previous studies and presented these to stakeholders for their input and direction. Public open houses were conducted in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Fort Collins area, and the Denver area from July 16 to 19. The stakeholder feedback is being incorporated into the evaluation.

Click here to access the Level 1 Evaluation Report and Appendices.

Milestone 3
Conceptual Evaluation – The conceptual evaluation takes the information learned through the initial evaluation and further narrows the alignment options to the most promising based on the evaluation criteria. The study team will be working with stakeholders to identify potential station locations and to fully understand the potential benefits/impacts of the conceptual evaluation alternatives. Results of the conceptual evaluation are anticipated to be shared with stakeholders for input in winter 2012/2013.

The Study Team recently completed the Level 2 Evaluation Report.  Information in this report will be used as a basis for the Level 3 Evaluation and will be integrated into the final report.  Click here to access the Level 2 Evaluation Report and Appendices.

Milestones 4 & 5

Detailed Evaluation & Recommendations – Milestones 4 & 5 are grouped together. They build off of the public input received to that point and add additional engineering refinements to alignment options. A series of recommendations will likely surface for consideration by stakeholders and CDOT. Information and input gathered during the previous milestones and through the evaluation process have been integrated into the Draft Report.  Click here to access the Draft Interregional Connectivity Study report.

ICS Final Report