Front Range voters approve 33-cent tax for new rail service
The measure, which reached roughly 55% support in early returns, funds a plan to operate trains between Fort Collins and Pueblo by 2032.
By Samir Patterson ·
Voters in the Front Range Passenger Rail District appear to have approved a new sales tax to fund regional rail service, with early results showing roughly 55% support for Ballot Measure 7A as of Thursday afternoon.
The measure applies to residents in a district that spans from Fort Collins south to Pueblo, including Loveland, Longmont, Boulder, Broomfield, Louisville, Westminster, Denver, Littleton, Sterling Ranch, and Colorado Springs. The tax rate is set at 33 cents per $100 in spending. Exemptions apply to food, gasoline, utilities, prescription drugs, and medical supplies.
James Flattum, director of outreach for the Coloradans for CoCo Campaign, described the result as a realization of a long-held concept. “We are so excited,” Flattum said. “I think this is a project that there has been a concept of for generations. Finally, having a plan in place and critically having the voters say, 'Yes.'”
The Front Range Passenger Rail District plans to use existing tracks and partnerships with BNSF and Union Pacific to build out the service, known as the Colorado Connector or CoCo. Funding for the initial phase will come from existing state revenue and FasTracks reserves, separate from the new tax revenue.
The district intends to launch starter service in 2029. This initial phase will consist of three daily round trips between Denver and Fort Collins. Until that date, officials will focus on final approvals and signal improvements between Westminster and Fort Collins.
Flattum characterized the approach as realistic because it builds on existing infrastructure rather than starting from scratch. “It’s an exceptionally realistic approach because we’re not starting from scratch,” he said. “We’re building on tracks that already exist, building with working with relationships with these host railroads that actually own the tracks. So it’s actually an exceptionally doable project, and we are so excited to see it implemented.”
Revenue from Ballot Measure 7A will support Phase 2 of the project. This phase aims to establish a full corridor between Fort Collins and Pueblo by 2032. Flattum noted that this timeline represents five years after the measure's passage. He described the pace as “light speed, but it’s realistic because we’re using that existing track.”
The district will pay rent-like fees to the host railroads for track usage. Capital investments from the tax revenue will target safety and reliability improvements, including adding double track sections and crossovers. These upgrades allow trains to run in both directions without conflict. “All of those are the basics that are going to allow this service to be up and running, to be reliable,” Flattum said.
Robert Fleming, a voter from Boulder, voted against the measure. “It’s a lot of money,” Fleming said. “I don’t know how many people are going to get use out of it, which is why I voted against it.” Despite his objection to the cost, Fleming identified as a public transit advocate. “If the majority want to give it a try, I’m in with them,” he said.
Design work for the starter service is scheduled for spring 2027, with construction planned to begin by 2028. In October, an administrative error sent Ballot Measure 7A to roughly 800,000 voters in Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Weld counties who were not eligible to vote. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office stated that only eligible voters’ ballots will be counted in the contest.
