State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

CO: Colorado governor signs bill to explore expanding passenger train service

The Denver Post: Gov. John Hickenlooper this week signed into law a bill to explore building passenger rail service along the Front Range and the expansion of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route through the state’s southeastern corner.

Monday’s signing sets into motion a set of 11 stakeholders to be appointed to a voting group on the newly created Southwest Chief and Front Range Passenger Rail Commission. It’s charged with presenting the state legislature with a plan and a draft bill for New Mexico-to-Wyoming service before the end of 2017.

Five metropolitan planning organizations and the Regional Transportation District will each appoint a member, and Hickenlooper will appoint five members to the commission. The governor’s appointees are slated to include representatives from freight carriers Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific, as well as public rail advocates.

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