Government & Politics  May 1, 2025

Editorial: Voters should decide on Front Range Passenger Rail

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It’s too early to pull the emergency brake cord on Front Range Passenger Rail.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, who represents Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, made some headlines recently when she urged Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and the Department of Transportation to halt funding for Front Range Passenger Rail.

That’s the planned rail corridor that would extend from Fort Collins to Pueblo, using existing freight rail lines.

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Boebert, whose district encompasses much of the Eastern Plains, as well as Front Range communities such as Loveland, questioned the project’s cost — which she pegged at $14 billion — as well as ridership demand, potential for use of eminent domain and reliance on federal funding.

“This project is fiscally irresponsible, impractical, and benefits special interests rather than the hardworking people of Colorado,” Boebert said in an April 7 letter to DOGE and DOT.

“As I continue to hear from leaders and constituents across Douglas County, it’s clear there are serious concerns with the Front Range Passenger Rail proposal that will harm our community’s quality of life and cost hundreds of millions in state and federal funds,” Boebert said in a statement. “Our nation owes more than $36 trillion in debt, and we simply cannot afford spending resources on projects that will not benefit most Coloradans. It’s imperative that DOGE and USDOT reevaluate the importance of this project before we spend another dollar.”

We believe that Boebert’s action is premature and unfair to her constituents in Loveland and beyond who could benefit from Front Range Passenger Rail, including by reducing congestion on Interstate 25, U.S. Highway 287 and other arterials.

Gov. Jared Polis denied that the project would rely on federal funding, although Colorado did receive more than $60 million from a Federal Railroad Administration grant to modernize Front Range rail, as well as less than $2 million in a grant to study the rail plan.

To be fair, the Front Range Passenger Rail website does state that it “is likely that multiple sources (federal, state and local) will be needed to fund Front Range Passenger Rail.”

What about the price? A lot of numbers have been floated around, with the $14 billion price tag not the most-likely scenario. The Front Range Passenger Rail website includes a bare-bones estimate of up to $2.5 billion in 2020 dollars, which would be more than $3 billion today.

But Colorado intends to fund Front Range Passenger Rail largely with non-federal mechanisms, including a potential 0.8% sales tax that would be voted on by voters in 13 counties along the Front Range.

Those voters deserve to be heard, and the Front Range Passenger Rail District deserves a chance to complete its work, including more-refined ridership demands and cost estimates.

Let’s ride this train a little longer and see where it leads.

It’s too early to pull the emergency brake cord on Front Range Passenger Rail.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, who represents Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, made some headlines recently when she urged Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and the Department of Transportation to halt funding for Front Range Passenger Rail.

That’s the planned rail corridor that would extend from Fort Collins to Pueblo, using existing freight rail lines.

Boebert, whose district encompasses much of the Eastern Plains, as well as Front Range communities such as Loveland, questioned the project’s cost — which she pegged at $14 billion — as well as ridership demand, potential…

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Categories: Editor's Notebook Government & Politics Transportation Front Range Passenger Rail District Jared Polis Lauren Boebert
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