COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Front Range Passenger Rail is eyeing a 2026 ballot question that would ask voters across a district stretching from Fort Collins to Pueblo to approve roughly a half-cent sales tax to fund a passenger rail line along the I-25 corridor. The district includes urban areas along the Front Range, as well as Pueblo and Colorado Springs.
Front Range Passenger Rail General Manager Sal Pace said the organization is actively working toward putting the question before voters this fall.
"We're looking hard at a 2026 ballot question," Pace said.
Pace said the route from Denver to Colorado Springs would take a similar amount of time as driving and would cost between $12 and $15 per ticket — a price he says would save riders time otherwise spent in traffic, as well as money on gas.
- Watch More About the Proposed Ballot Initiative
He pointed to congestion on I-25 as a key reason the project is needed.
"We have a real bottleneck on I-25, and there's no redundancy. A truck crashes, and it becomes a bottleneck," Pace said.
The plan calls for using the existing track already in place along the corridor. Under that plan, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs would serve as the designated "Olympic City" stop along the line. Pace acknowledged that the organization has not yet determined the overall cost of the project.
The district comprises communities along the Front Range.
"The district is comprised of urban areas up and down the front range, and it includes Pueblo and Colorado Springs," Pace said.
Some Colorado Springs visitors said they would welcome an alternative to I-25. Noa and Dafna, who drove down from Boulder, said they regularly drive to other places in Colorado.
"It does feel like we're always on I-25," Dafna said.
Both said they support expanding public transportation options in the region.
"I think we could use more public transportation around here, and rail is a good option to have," Noa said.
Army veteran Robert Gayle said an experience on I-25 has made him reluctant to drive the corridor.
"I had a big accident on I-25 so it shook me up a little," Gayle said.
Gayle said he currently takes a cab or flies to Denver rather than driving, and said a passenger rail option would be a welcome change.
"It would be more convenient and I won't have to worry about parking issues," Gayle said.
The proposal does face a challenging political environment. Last fall, several Colorado communities — including Canon City and Manitou Springs — voted against tax increases and the addition of new taxes. When asked why Coloradans should support this potential tax, Pace pointed to longstanding public interest in the project.
"Voters of Colorado have said for decades they want passenger rail up and down the front range; it's our job to show it's a solid investment," Pace said.
When I asked Pace whether a ballot question is likely, he said the organization is still working through the details.
"We're not sure yet, but we're putting everything in place," Pace said.
Front Range Passenger Rail is hosting a public meeting this Thursday at the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center at 3:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend and provide feedback.
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