Long-Anticipated Denver-Area Commuter Rail Line Project May Be Moving Forward

The process to start an environmental assessment of a proposed rapid transit line from Denver to Boulder could be announced by early April.

The project, which some estimates have said could cost as much as $1.7 billion to build, has long been talked about by public officials in both cities, and would be a part of the Denver-based Regional Transportation District network.

What is being called the Northwest Rail would stretch just a little over 35 miles, with a construction schedule that various sources have estimated at anywhere from 5 years to a decade.

The commuter rail line would most likely follow the region’s Burlington Northern-Santa Fe rail corridor, running somewhat parallel to US Route 36. 

In 2004, regional voters gave their approval to a 0.4% sales tax increase, the revenue from which was designed to fund the construction of new rail lines.

Now Colorado Governor Jared Polis has called upon the RTD to prioritize the Northwest Rail project, noting that the agency should “honor the will of the taxpayers” who approved the 2004 measure, and to move “as expeditiously as possible to complete the Northwest Rail.”

Previous estimates have indicated that a Denver-Boulder line could easily serve up to 10,000 riders a day.
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In the last decade the RTD has been steadily building out its rail system, with segments connecting downtown Denver to Aurora and Lone Tree, as well as the Denver International Airport.

​By Garry Boulard

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