1 Colorado Department of Transportation The Role of State Departments of Transportation in High Speed Rail October 14, 2010 Las Vegas, Nevada
Mark Imhoff Colorado Department Of Transportation Director, Division of Transit and Rail Mark.imhoff@dot.state.co.us 303-757-9007 2
Background Geographic High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) 10 of 11 have been selected Distance factor the 500 mile corridor route Intermountain West is not represented no link/ bridge is provided to the rest of the nation Focus on Mega regions Terrain Issues (Crossing the Rockies) Few options Expensive 3
Background Colorado Colorado Connects: East to the West I-70 Continental Divide Rocky Mountains To Salt Lake City To Cheyenne To Kansas City North to the South I-25 Along the Front Range To Albuquerque 4
Background Colorado Denver International Airport (DIA) Vital Link in national transportation system Non-stop capability to any major airport in the world $4.8 Billion investment (Federal, State and Local) Tourism $9.7 Billion annual impact in CO (CO Tourism Office estimate) 5
Denver Metro Area Background Colorado State Capitol Colorado s largest Metropolitan Area RTD FasTracks Rail System $6.5 Billion investment (RTD estimate) (Federal, State and Local) 6
Colorado Dept. of Transportation (CDOT) History/Trends From Highways to Transportation 1991 Legislation: Colorado Department of Highways becomes Colorado Department of Transportation Our Mission To provide the best multi-modal transportation system that most effectively moves people, goods and information 7
Colorado Dept. of Transportation (CDOT) History/Trends Transit Historically a pass-through for federal transit grants Planning and implementation left to local governments TREX Completed I-25 south of Denver (2001-2006) One DOT concept / FHWA, FTA, CDOT, RTD Expanded Highway and added Light Rail Division of Transit and Rail created (SB 09-094) Responsible for planning, development, operation, and integration of transit/rail First ever dedicated state funding source FASTER (SB09-108) 8
Keys to State t DOTs role in High Speed Rail Planning Advocacy Integration Implementation 9
Planning--------Advocacy--------Integration--------Implementation Planning What are the needs and where? Individual id CDOT Corridors I-70 Mountain DPEIS (Denver to Eagle County) Highway and Advanced Guideway System Transit North I-25 DEIS (Denver to Wyoming) Passenger Rail Rocky Mountain Rail Authority Primarily made up of local governments High Speed Rail feasibility study completed (2009) State t funded d I-25 and I-70 Corridors Creation of the Western High Speed Rail Alliance Multi State focus MPO s from the Major Metropolitan Areas 10
Planning--------Advocacy--------Integration--------Implementation Planning What are the needs and where? State Rail Plan Prioritize list of potential projects $400,000 HSIPR Grant (ARRA) and $400,000 State Funds Connectivity Study Determine where High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail would connect with Denver area RTD FasTracks System $1 Million HIPR Grant (ARRA) and $1 Million State Funds 11
Planning--------Advocacy--------Integration--------Implementation Advocacy Lobby for Multimodal Solutions and Funding State Level Stakeholders Supporting Legislation/Funding Federal Level Federal Rail Administration National Rail Plan Funding Surface Transportation Reauthorization Increased Emphasis on Multimodal One DOT 12
Planning--------Advocacy--------Integration--------Implementation Integration ti Optimizing the Modes so they work together Auto/Highway 9,144 miles in the system in CO Air Denver International Airport (DIA) 13 Commercial Service Airports Passenger Rail Statewide t expansion Part of national system FasTracks-Denver area transit expansion Freight Interface Challenges 13
Planning--------Advocacy--------Integration--------Implementation Implementation ti Get Started DOT Leadership and Oversight Partner with Stakeholders Comprehensive Planning Small Steps/Projects 14
Planning--------Advocacy--------Integration--------Implementation Conclusion A Solution for the Intermountain West Continue Working Together on Common Goals 15