A few weeks ago, addressing my Board colleagues, I noted it was highly unlikely I could support asking the voters in November of 2010 for additional tax support to complete the FasTracks program.  This was against my initial inclination, as I would prefer to get an early read from the public regarding their willingness to invest the [...]

The picture isn’t any brighter, but at least our challenge is much more clear . . . 
That is the best you can probably say about the 2010 Annual Program Evaluation (APE).  This document, which RTD prepares annually for the Denver Regional Council of Governments, provides the most recent snapshot of the financial picture and technical adjustments [...]

I am typically pretty focused in my transit advocacy, as an RTD Board Director, on influencing RTD policy.   However, when the actions of outside agencies threaten our transit goals, I feel it is my duty to speak-out.  Such is the case with respect to current maneuvers to complete the Denver metro beltway.
Specifically, proponents of the beltway are asking the Denver Regional Council of Governments [...]

In an action that has garnered a bit of press coverage over the past few days, along with a rash of intense dialogue amongst those who are following the distribution of FasTrack resources, I joined with Director Noel Busck in introducing the Regional Equity Compact resolution.  I have attached a copy of the resolution below.  [...]

Chalk-up more forward progress by RTD’s Ad Hoc Eco Pass Committee toward a sustainable pricing formula for these pass programs.
After years of acrimonious debate between RTD and advocates of the Eco Pass, a working group of representatives for RTD staff and other Eco Pass purchasing groups came together around a unified recommendation on the pricing formula for some of [...]

Last week, it was my good fortune to help advance RTD’s move toward becoming a fully sustainable transit system. 
Specifically, during debate over issuing the request for proposals for the East and Gold rail lines, I offered the Renewable Electrical Energy Source Amendment (the Renewable Energy Amendment).  The Renewable Energy Amendment requires the three consortiums of private entities that are [...]

The current recession has placed a tremendous economic pinch on public agencies throughout the country, let alone the terrible impact it is having on individuals and families.  RTD is not immune and is watching as its main source of revenue, sales tax, plunges.  The most recent figures for November of 2008 show a nearly 10 [...]

In its efforts to shore-up RTD’s operations budget for 2009, RTD staff has recommended fare increases of roughly 14 percent on everything from cash fare rates to monthly pass prices. In addition, based on increased ridership numbers among those who use RTD’s unlimited access passes, such as the Eco Pass, RTD staff is proposing an [...]

In case you didn’t see these in the Daily Camera, both Steve Pomerance and Bob Greenlee responded to my opinion piece, “Rising Above the Transit Paradox.”:
FasTracks derailed (Greenlee): http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/jul/13/fastracks-derailed/
Funding transit with market forces (Pomerance): http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/jul/06/funding-transit-with-market-02/
You will notice that Bob takes the opportunity to offer another criticism of the FasTracks program, tying the tax revenue for [...]

Many District O residents e-mailed me concerning the proposal to cut Route 201.  Unfortunately, only one of my fellow Board members joined me in opposition to the final package of staff recommended service cuts.  The Board approved the staff recommended package of service cuts that included the 201 while providing a reprieve for one route, the U, in the [...]