Colorado's Front Range Passenger Rail eyes stops at future Broncos, Summit stadiums

The Front Range Passenger Rail District is rallying support from the cities where the future rail line will operate. Denver City Council got on board with a proclamation made Monday at its regular meeting. Denver is the latest of nearly a dozen municipalities to publicly express its support for the railway. 

Councilman Darrell Watson sponsored the proclamation that received unanimous support.

"Right now, we're dealing with forest fires throughout the state," Watson said. "That air that's coming in, having a cleaner approach to transit is important, and the Front Range Rail provides that."

The proclamation also supports the creation of two additional "special events" stops that are south of Union Station and therefore would need voter approval. 

"One is on South Broadway and I-25 for the new Denver Summit stadium, as well as Burnham Yard for the new Denver Broncos stadium," explained Sal Pace, the Front Range Passenger Rail District's general manager.

For Pace, the support is another step in the right direction for future expansion. 

"We're asking the local municipalities to agree with the station locations and the placement of stations across the district," Pace said. "That way if we refer a ballot question, that it's done in alignment with the local municipalities, such as here in Denver."

But city support also brings monetary gains.

"Because of its population, Denver will be receiving $225 million in local return Pace explained. "And for passing this proclamation, they've just qualified themselves for an additional $22.5 million in local return dollars," he said. "That money will be coming from any future tax revenue that a district is collecting."

"This is a unique opportunity, not just for Denver, but for anyone that loves rail and anyone that lives in the Front Range," Watson added.

The first phase of the railway that the Colorado Connector (CoCo) will make trips on goes from Denver up to Boulder, on to Fort Collins. That phase is already funded and is expected to begin service in 2029. The Rail's board will have a meeting in August on a possible ballot measure for this November. Voters from Fort Collins down to Trinidad would vote on the tax measure to support future expansion if placed on the ballot.