Colorado: Governor Polis Announces $44 Million Federal Grant to Improve Rail Safety on the Western Slope

DENVER — Today, Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced that Colorado has been selected for a $44 million Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant to improve rail safety, reliability, and emergency response along critical mountain corridors in central and western Colorado. Combined with $11 million in funding from the Governor's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Cash Fund, the award will support CDOT's $55 million Safe, Agile, Fast, and Efficient Rail Travel (SAFER Travel) project.

"Colorado's mountain rail corridors connect communities, carry goods across the country, and provide unforgettable passenger rail experiences, but are threatened by rockfall, multiple crossings, and remote terrain that create real safety risk. This $55 million in state and federal funding will help protect passengers, railroad workers, nearby communities, and economic supply lines, all while strengthening the safe and reliable rail service Coloradans depend on," said Governor Polis.

"Moving safely through Colorado's mountains requires care to deal with safety risks. This grant will let us build key safety features that will protect the people and goods that use this rail line. These investments will make travel safer and more reliable as we strengthen the connection between mountain communities and make it possible for additional growth in mountain rail travel," said Shoshana Lew, Executive Director of CDOT.

The FRA awarded the funding through the FY24-25 Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail initiative. The SAFER Travel project will work to support three major safety efforts:

• Installing rockfall barriers, specialized fencing, and other stabilization measures along approximately two miles of rail through Byers Canyon, where rockfall has caused derailments, damaged trains, and delayed passenger and freight service.
• Purchasing and equipping six mobile hazardous material and emergency response caches in East Portal, Winter Park, Hot Sulphur Springs, Steamboat Springs, Dotsero, and Parachute. These caches will give first responders faster access to specialized equipment in remote mountain areas.
• Conducting safety analyses at seven railroad crossings and advancing improvements at two priority crossings in Grand County.

Union Pacific Railroad owns and operates the tracks where much of the work will occur and worked closely with CDOT to develop the project. Amtrak, which operates the California Zephyr and Winter Park Express passenger lines, provided important data and context for the application. Canyon Spirit, which operates private passenger rail through the corridor, also supported the project. The improvements will benefit all existing passenger and freight service and will help prepare the corridor for future mountain rail services.

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The SAFER Travel project received broad support from passenger and freight rail operators, federal, state, and local leaders, and Western Slope communities.

"I welcome the announcement of $44 million to Colorado to increase the safety and reliability of our state's rail system," said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. "These investments will help keep trains moving efficiently, reduce disruptions and damage, and improve service for both passenger and freight travel."

"Colorado's rail lines wind through some of the most breathtaking terrain in the country. They move goods, connect communities, and keep our economy running," said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper. "Investing in their safety is how we protect the people who depend on them and set Colorado rail up for a stronger future."

"Our mountain communities across Northern and Western Colorado know how critical it is to have safe and reliable rail travel. I'm proud to have fought for these important federal investments, which will mean fewer delays, faster emergency response, and a corridor built to serve towns and cities across the Western Slope for decades to come," said Congressman Joe Neguse.

"Western Colorado depends on safe, reliable rail infrastructure to move goods, connect communities, and support our local economies. I supported the SAFER Travel Project because it addresses challenges we see every day across the Western Slope, from rockfall in our mountain canyons to making sure first responders have the tools they need when an emergency happens miles from the nearest community. This $44 million investment will help make our rail corridors safer and more reliable, and I appreciate Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration for recognizing the needs of Western Colorado and helping move this project forward," said U.S. Representative Jeff Hurd.

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Additional supporters included Union Pacific, Amtrak, Canyon Spirit, Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie, State Senator Dylan Roberts, State Representative Lesley Smith, State Representative Meghan Lukens, Grand County, Gilpin County, Routt County, the City of Steamboat, and the towns of Winter Park and Fraser.

Now that a selection has been made, CDOT will work with the FRA and Union Pacific to finalize the grant agreement, complete environmental review and design, purchase and equip the emergency response caches, and begin construction. The project is estimated to be completed in late 2030.

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