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 39 municipalities in the Denver metropolitan region, has adopted numerous 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.

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. In 2004 the voters within the RTD district approved a .4% sales tax increase to fund the FasTracks plan. RTD has pursued completiion of the plan depite the significant downturn in the Colorado, National and global economies. Work on every corridor continues through environmental analysies and environmental impact statements as well as preliminary design. Construction of the West Corridor is underway and RTD expects to enter into a Public/Private Partnership for design, construction and operation of the East Corridor and the Gold Line in 2010.

The Caucus works directly with RTD through the MMC FasTracks Task Force to find solutions for the funding shortfall resulting from the economic downturn and construction cost escalation, and has adopted a set of recommendations for RTD which were presented in March of 2009.

The Caucus supports implementation of FasTracks 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 successful implementation of FasTracks the highest priority for their municipalities.