“I Love Trains, But I Hope This Proposal Never Leaves the Station”

Are you ready to get on board? Over 21 years after Colorado voters approved the multi-billion-dollar FasTracks transit expansion program — which promised rail lines that are still not complete and likely never will be — local officials are gauging public opinion on a proposed ballot measure to fund a different passenger rail system along the Front Range.

Governor Jared Polis has extended the contest to choo-choose names for that system; you have until March 30 to vote for their favorites. But in their comments on the Westword Facebook post of Hannah Metzger’s story about a town hall on the train proposal, Coloradans are already sharing plenty of opinions. Says Joe:

I love trains, but I hope this proposal never leaves the station. Let’s name it “DOA.”

Notes Brian:

The cost projections for three daily trips each way are outrageous. Hundreds of millions of dollars for a very limited service. What is the benefit of this over Bustang, which costs $50 million a year? They are talking about spending $800 million for three trains a day. It is not viable.

Adds Jim:

Gonna spend billions of dollars on 150-year-old technology while people take to the air in their own flying cars and who knows what other technological advances by the time this just begins to break ground. Political boondoggle to pay back donors. Make it make sense.

Offers Brian:

Sure why not, spend more money on under used and poorly managed government infrastructure. RTD has been a joke since its inception.

Notes Jams:

This is just like California! Fund a train that costs too much, will never get built and the taxpayers take it in the shorts. No thanks!

Wonders Shaun:

Where does our government think we are going to get this money from? Local inflation is out of control, some prices are down and some prices are up — but average pay is not up and I cannot charge my clients more to pay more or make more.

Responds Tammy:

Spending like the pockets of the citizens are full and running over.

Comments Peter:

As a Longmont taxpayer, I refuse to vote yes to more public funding until we get what we’ve been paying for since FasTracks was passed

Concludes Kevin:

Money laundering express…all aboard!!!

What would you like to see the train named? What do you think of the proposal? Post a comment or send your thoughts to editorial@westword.com.