Senator Faith Winter Working on Bill to Fund RTD

Senator Faith Winter is working on a bill that will provide more funding for RTD. If it goes through, this would be the first time since 2004 that Denver’s public transportation has gotten such funding. Currently, these systems are funded by sales tax, a 1% amount, and a small percentage of its fares. Despite the 2021 state transportation funding bill going through, the Regional Transportation District has not signed up for any help from it at all.

Winter’s proposed bill would focus on several components of benefits and infrastructure that public transportation can afford. Commuting in a carpool, on a bus, or on a train can help reduce carbon emissions, as compared to driving alone. However, the placements of many stops and stations are not efficient or passenger-friendly. Despite not being drafted, the bill would provide the funding needed so that buses arrive faster and more often, as well as creating safer and more accessible bus stations and stops. This is something of a reopening of the proposals in Governor Jared Polis’s rejected upzoning bill, Land Use, which also wanted to place more affordable housing near public transportation stations.

In 2004, the FasTracks vote provided funding for RTD to build passenger rails. RTD, however was unable to follow through and build all the lines that were promised, including the commute rail between Denver, Boulder, and Longmont. Senator Winter hopes to open a window to where the funding provided to RTD is going.

“I want all solutions to be on the table, and I want to be creative,” Winter says. “And coming from local government, I understand that those folks that are implementing these policies have to be on board. And I’m committed to doing that.” Senator Winter’s decision to gather feedback before drafting the bill is a good move, but the CEO and general manager of RTD Debra Johnson and board chair Lynn Guissinger refuse to comment until a draft is provided.

Photo courtesy of Colin Lloyd/Upsplash.