DENVER — One of Colorado’s members of Congress is calling for the U.S. Department of Transportation to rescind funding to the state’s Front Range Passenger Rail project, claiming it a waste of federal funding. Colorado’s governor says no federal funding has been allotted to construction for the project.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Windsor, Colo.), in a letter released Tuesday (April 22) but dated April 7, asked Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Elon Musk, and the acting administrator of the presidential advisory group Department of Government Efficiency, requested an inquiry “into the potential misuse of federal taxpayer dollars” for the project, claiming it is “fiscally irresponsible, impractical, and benefits special interests.” It also raises questions about use of eminent domain to obtain property, and suggests the money would be better spent on highways. In a press release, Boebert said the project “will harm our community’s quality of life,” but does not indicate how that is the case.
The office of Gov. Jared Polis, in a statement reported by KUSA-TV, said that to date, the only federal money for the project is “less than $2 million for a study that is scheduled to wrap this year.” The project was included in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development program in 2023, which includes a $500,000 grant for further project planning.
The state did receive $66.4 million in federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grants last October to address track and siding projects and positive train control installation on a 10-mile section of BNSF rail line in northern Colorado. [See “FRA awards $2.4 billion …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 29, 2024.] Improvements to five grade crossings were also covered. That trackage could eventually be part of the Front Range passenger route, but the funds were not explicitly connected to that project.
Boebert’s request follows an announcement earlier this month that the FRA was rescinding a grant for the Texas Central high speed rail project [see “FRA rescinds grant …,” News Wire, April 14, 2025. The FRA has also cut other rail grants awarded under the Biden Administration, and is seeking to claw back additional funds.
Nothing like yet another Internet comment section ruined by the usual brave and vituous name-calling Democrat partisans. In Rep. Boebert’s case, all of you appear to have been told by your TVs and your Democrat operatives with press credentials that, like Orange Man, Boebert bad and skanky. Since name calling is the order of the day, you are ignorant, uninformed and as boring as you are predictable.
The Front Range passenger project will benefit three employment categories: lobbyists, consultants and lawyers. It will never result in a single trainset, let alone run trains from Pueblo to Ft. Collins. It is a scam that will make the California High Speed project look well run. We do not do projects like this here in Colorado either competently or in a timely fashion. Even when they crawl towards partial completion, like the additional I-25 lane from The Springs to Castle Rock, the progtards decide, after the fact, to make it a toll-only lane and charge voters for that which they’ve already paid and paid.
Ask yourself why Front Range passenger service was almost dead and buried well before Amtrak. This isn’t the east coast – we don’t have the population and employment density that would make this scam viable. As the saying goes ‘Fuggedaboudit’.
I agree, the Front Range does not have the population like the East Coast or Mid-west corridors.
Living I usually do not agree with the Blue – Denver/Boulder corridor running the state, but Boebert is still a political hack.
That should be – Living in rural Colorado I usually do not agree with the Blue – Denver/Boulder corridor running the state, but Boebert is still a political hack.
The federal government often funds projects on Class 1 freight railroads. In this case, the grant will build grade crossing eliminations that will address busy roads that were built long after the railroads. That safety improvement benefits the public at least as much as it helps the private railroads.
This is non- or bi-partisan. Lots of federal money goes to red states. That its why the infrastructure act passed with R votes.
This CRISI grant will help with flow of trains through the Denver area. Killing it might cause more trains to back up in areas north and south of Denver that are represented by R. representatives.
Lauren “white trash” Boebert – Education High school drop out – got pregnant; had to take GED four times finally passed (maybe) just before being elected the first time; Experience – french fry specialist eventually shift mgr at McDonalds; Political exp – when rubes from 3rd dist realized how useless she was & were about to elect another Rep she switch to the 4th dist to con hopefully more gullible rubes. Instead of meaningless Party rhetoric why doesn’t she try working for her constituents on something like strengthening Social Security; food & housing prices, access to health care? Oh..that’s right R’s don’t do that!
What’s the feminine case for “white trash ad hominen argument”?
Maybe it’s “white trash ad hominwomen argument” or something like that.
As an independent voter in the state of Colorado I am not a fan of Lauren Boebert. That being said, if Mr. Galen wants to attack someone, perhaps he should supply us with his bio.
Wow, $66 million for BNSF. Christmas came early.
Lauren Boebert is just a political hack.
I agree on the map. Southwest Douglas and south Jefferson county is foothills – Forest Service land. The problem I have, the train to Springs is unique.
How do you get to the final destination in CO Springs or Longmont?
The RTD A line to Denver International was supposed to clear the cars off I70 and Pena Blvd. Today it is still wall to wall cars.
The RTD A-Line is lightly patronized. Perhaps b/c it dead-ends at Union Station with nothing connecting to it. A zillion people fly into DEN, or work there; a handful get on the A-train.
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The RTD A line to Denver International was supposed to clear the cars off I70 and Pena Blvd. Today it is still wall to wall cars.
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People understandably have a hard time believing this but studies for FASTRAKS found that the airport line wasn’t going to improve congestion. In fact, they found congestion was less with the no build option.
Why would they then push for it? I don’t know. But then again I don’t know why their sales tax revenue projections for Fastracks assumed there wouldn’t be a single recession.
So it goes.
So let’s look at that map. There’s an area shaded in blue, which seems to mean, well, whatever it seems to mean to urban planners. (The blue shade doesn’t follow county lines.) I spent last week in a blue-shaded area, Brighton (Adams and Weld Counties) and Commerce City (I think Adams County), plus the Denver Airport which is in Denver (Denver County). I struggle to see how the train serves people who live in blue-shaded Brighton, which is where my family owns a home.
East of DEN Airport in Adams County is also shaded blue. This is empty, dreary, uninhabited range land thirty or forty miles from any of the stations.
Another poster on this thread suggests that Lauren Bobbert has her head up her ar…e. Which may well be the case. So are the “planners” who came up with this nonsense of a proposal.
First, she needs to get to her votes on time. Second she needs to articulate exactly what Colorado spending priorities should be at the Federal level.
AND she needs to pull her head out of a place it was never meant to be.
Boebert isn’t a serious person.
She isn’t a serious person, I’ll give you that. But she’s right about this issue.
As for the money granted to BNSF for freight rail, that’s totally inappropriate.
Unfortunately, there are too many elected “not serious” persons in DC in both parties. But I agree with Charles that she’s right on this one and also is reflecting the views of the majority of her district.
So, no money for passenger rail but 66 million to a for profit railroad is ok?
I also don’t agree with a $66M grant to a Class 1. However, that grant was under Biden and I guess was approved by enough of the Colorado “D” politicians on both the Federal and State level. situation. Otherwise I doubt it would have happened given the state’s political situation. It’s highly unlikely the current Federal administration will be funding the proposed new passenger service.