Metro Mayors Caucus on Transportation

 The statement of the Caucus on the then proposed FasTracks ballot initiative demonstrates the reasons the mayors support transit in the region so strongly.

The Metro Mayors Caucus has repeatedly identified establishment of a multi-modal transportation system (comprehensive rail and bus transit as well as highways) as essential to the future economic health and quality of life in the Denver metro area.  The Caucus, a voluntary organization made up of 32 municipalities in the Denver metropolitan region, has adopted the following position statements to educate the public and other elected officials about the need for such a multi-modal transportation system: 

Build-out of a rail and bus transit network is a critical component of Metro Vision, the Denver region’s long-range plan for growth and development.  After a comprehensive and collaborative planning process, rail and bus transit projects have been recommended in key transportation corridors.  These projects include the West, East, Gold Line (I-70 West), I-225, North Metro, US36, SH119, Southwest and Southeast corridors. Without a metro area vote to approve increased transit funding (even assuming another federal transit grant), only one of these projects could be built before 2020.  The other projects would be left unfunded.

House Bill 02-1310/Senate Bill 02-179, passed in the 2002 legislative session and signed by Governor Owens, authorizes a Regional Transportation District ballot measure to allow metro area voters to decide whether to increase funding for expanded rail and bus transit.  RTD has adopted a transit vision plan called FasTracks, which will build out the region’s multi-modal transportation system as envisioned in Metro Vision. The Caucus commends the Board of Directors and the staff of the RTD for their thoroughness in anticipating the need for a comprehensive, regional public transportation system, and for their foresight in preparing and adopting the unified program of projects in the FasTracks plan.

The individual corridors in the FasTracks plan are integral components of the multi-modal system envisioned in Metro Vision.  They represent the carefully considered and consensus-based priorities of the region.  The Caucus understands that a number of factors, including lagging sales tax revenues, may affect the implementation of FasTracks.  The Caucus further acknowledges that the FasTracks plan may need to be modified to remain economically feasible.  If this becomes necessary, the Caucus urges RTD to select an implementation scenario that ensures that all of the corridors remain in the plan.  Any further prioritization of these corridors should be made in a collaborative, regional process that incorporates input from local governments throughout the region.

FasTracks has been submitted as a unified program of high priority transportation improvements as part of the reauthorization of TEA-21. The Caucus appreciates the support of the Colorado Congressional delegation in moving FasTracks forward as part of the reauthorization of TEA-21.

The Caucus supports development of a FasTracks ballot measure and is committed to public education and coalition-building in support of that goal. The Caucus encourages member elected officials to make development of, education on, and passage of such a measure the highest priority for their municipalities.