RTD studies expansion to southwest Weld

Many residents in southwest Weld County want to be part of the metro-Denver transportation system. Some say they˜d take the bus to go to Rockies games in Denver, to go shopping, maybe even to commute to work, say mayors in Erie, Frederick, Firestone and Longmont.
RTD is surveying residents by telephone at the behest of an Interstate 25 corridor group made up of the area˜s mayors, said Scott Reed, an RTD spokesman. The $15,000 origin/destination study will tell RTD things such as where people want to go and how much interest there is for bus service, Reed said. The survey is expected to be done by Thanksgiving.
"We would use the heck out of RTD if it was available to us, for all kinds of things," said Vic Smith, mayor of Erie. "Most people are saying it would be a great thing to have. We have a Park-n-Ride at the end of Jasper Road and (U.S.) 287."
Some of Erie, the part in Boulder County, is already inside the RTD district. None of the other cities is in the district. And if residents wanted to be a part of RTD, they˜d probably also have to pay a little in increased sales taxes for the service, said Mary Blue, RTD district "I" director, which includes eastern Boulder County, and would include the new area if it were approved.
People who work in the Del Camino corridor along Interstate 25 just south of Longmont also may want to take the bus from Boulder or Denver to their offices, Blue said.