Political Pressure Reinvigorates B Line Extension Plans in Colorado

"The Regional Transportation District is drawing up plans to kickstart its dormant Boulder and Longmont rail project," reports Nathaniel Minor.

The project would extend the B Line 41 miles from Denver to Boulder and Longmont, according to Minor. The B Line currently only reaches Westminster.

CEO and General Manager Debra Johnson announced the rebirth of the project at a special RTD board meeting this week, after Colorado Governor Jared Polis criticized RTDs lack of progress on the project after Johnson recently made comments questioning whether the project should move forward.

According to a separate article by John Aguilar, Gov. Polis spoke to the board meeting, saying that the projected completion date—20 years from now—is not "a legitimate date for discussion."

Now RTD is committed to delivering an accelerated plan for development in 60 days.

The B Line extension is a component of the 2004 FasTracks regional transit expansion plan, "which has resulted in a half-dozen new rail lines and a speedy bus line across the metro since then," according to Minor. Most recently, the N Line opened commuter rail service on a pandemic-subdued day in September 2020.

See also: Previous Planetizen coverage of the FasTracks program.