Smart Growth Hall Of Fame 2001
Ten Examples Of Good Planning Decisions In Colorado

C. FasTracks
Denver Regional Transportation District

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From 1995 to 2000, Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD), DRCOG and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) developed a series of studies, called Major Investment Studies, around the major transportation corridors to the north, east, south and west of the Denver metro area. Those studies charted the course for the development of FasTracks, an extensive network of multi-modal transportation options, including commuter rail, light rail, bus rapid transit and High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes.

RTD Denver included the visions and plans set forth in MetroVision 2020 and these series of Major Investment Studies in its proposed FasTracks Plan. FasTracks would forward plans for the completion of multi-modal, efficient mass transportation systems for the entire metro Denver region.

FasTracks will provide:

• Rapid transit to Golden, Denver International Airport, Northglenn, and along I-70 West to Ward Road
  
• A bus rapid transit system to Boulder
  
• An increase in park-n-ride capacity by 105%
  
• An improvement in the frequency and quality of bus service

If initiated in the next 2 years, by 2020, FasTracks would provide the capacity for approximately 550,000 metro region residents to use mass transit instead of automobiles.

Elements of Good Planning
RTD's FasTracks incorporates and sets the framework for employing many of the aspects of smart growth. The following list highlights some of FasTracks' smart growth elements:

• Encourages efficient and appropriate use of land by enhancing local plans and desires and promoting mixed land uses. The build out of FasTracks will create the backbone for "transit-oriented development" (TOD) along all of the major transit corridors. When built, rail stations/destinations encourage development of "transit villages" around them that can efficiently combine residential, commercial and recreational uses (the redevelopment of Englewood's Cinderella City mall into the new CityCenter is an example of a TOD in so far as the land use and transportation decisions are closely linked and transit is easily accessible from the development).
  
  
• Offers mass transit or multi-modal forms of transportation, creates a pedestrian friendly community and reduced dependency on the automobile. FasTracks will provide a mass transit alternative to the automobile for approximately 550,000 Denver metro region residents per day. FasTracks provides new rail, bus and train alternatives and also maximizes the efficiency of the current bus network between the Central Business District and outlying areas as well as between suburbs.
  
  
• Encourages a greater sense of community character by using new urbanist community design ideals, encouraging pedestrian use and creating a greater community feeling. Development that springs up around transit destinations/stations is typically pedestrian friendly, smaller "transit villages". These transit-oriented developments will offer a blueprint for future town development around a more efficient and cleaner mode of transit. Instead of sprawling automobile-dependent suburbs, FasTracks will encourage residential development on a smaller and more concentrated scale.
  
  
• The planning resolution preserves or creates a program to preserve open space or agricultural lands, mitigates or reduces air and water pollution from new developments. FasTracks will create a cleaner, safer alternative to Denver's pattern of sprawling development, which promotes dependency on automobiles because of lack of other efficient transportation alternatives. With the implementation of the strategies encompassed in FasTracks, Denver developments will be given a planning blueprint, which promotes more efficient land use around rail corridors. The increase in light rail, bus and train use will decrease the amount of toxic air pollutants in the Denver metro region.
  
  
• The planning resolution involved widespread public participation and input and was in the community's best interest. RTD encouraged public participation in creating a mass transit system that best served the needs of all of the communities along the main transit corridors. Community forums and open houses have been held throughout the Denver metro area to solicit input from local businesspeople, neighborhood communities and politicians. RTD has outreached to a large number of local governments, business and neighborhood associations.

Involved Parties and Developer: RTD developed the proposed FasTracks Plan with input from Mayors and City Councils along all of the major corridors, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), the Colorado Department of Transportation, several environmental groups (including CoPIRG and the Transit Alliance), and neighborhood associations. Possible sources of funding for the proposed plan would be a 0.4% proposed increase in metro area sales tax and increased funding at the state and federal level.

Location: RTD's FasTracks will provide significant increases in access to and use of mass transit, economic growth, and an increased quality of living for communities in the entire metro Denver region, from Northglenn to Highlands Ranch and from Golden to the Denver International Airport.

Status: As of December 2001, RTD has not fully approved every aspect of the plan. Funding for the project is expected to be put in place in the next 2 years. Build-out of the project is expected to take 10 years from groundbreaking.

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