On April 8, 2026, the state of Colorado and BNSF railway reached a tentative agreement to provide access to BNSF’s Front Range subdivision for passenger rail service from Denver to Fort Collins. The agreement permits a joint service agreement between several public agencies to run three daily round trips between Denver Union Station and Fort Collins. This agreement comes after 20 years of promised but undelivered passenger rail service for communities in northern Colorado.  But the same choices to reduce costs and simplify service also raise questions about future passenger rail expansion and improvements along the Front Range. 

Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) launched a multi-billion dollar transit plan in 2004, FasTracks, but never completed the planned commuter rail service north to Boulder and Longmont. RTD projected that it would take 25 years to generate revenue on its own to cover capital, maintenance, and operating costs of those unfinished expansions. Meanwhile, the state of Colorado established the Front Range Passenger Rail District (FRPR) in 2021 to provide intercity passenger rail along the Front Range, from Pueblo in the South to Fort Collins in the North. RTD and FRPR shared an interest in passenger rail expansion but have separate funding streams, governance structures, and service plans. But there was no unified plan between the multiple stakeholders to expand passenger rail north, nor was there an access agreement with BNSF, the host railroad.   

Joint Service Agreement and new BNSF deal 

A 2024 state law, SB24-184, brought overlapping rail interests into one framework. The law permitted RTD, FRPR, the Colorado Department of Transportation, and several other public agencies to enter into a joint agreement to work on RTD’s efforts to extend service north to Longmont and extend the service further to Fort Collins. The joint service agreement is valuable because it helps FRPR work toward its goal for intercity passenger rail service along the entire Front Range. Simultaneously, it supports RTD’s goal of delivering commuter rail service to the northern Denver suburbs.  

In 2025, the state began working with BNSF through the Joint Service Executive Oversight Committee (JSEOC) on an access agreement. The proposed agreement centers on a “one operator/one access” model. One operator will oversee service on the entire section between Denver and Fort Collins, and one entity, the JSEOC, will negotiate access with BNSF. This approach replaces what could have been separate RTD and FRPR agreements with BNSF with a clear and single operating framework for the entire section between Denver and Fort Collins.  

The simplified structure reshapes the project. Earlier plans assumed more train sets, upgraded track infrastructure, and additional passing sidings to accommodate frequent passenger rail services alongside BNSF’s freight operations. The earlier cost estimate was around $885 million. Under the proposed agreement, there will be three daily round trips using one train set and one spare train set. Station stops are planned close to existing parking structures, and infrastructure costs include only necessary track, platform, and ADA improvements.  

These choices cut the project cost to $330 million and reduce the burden on BNSF. With only one train operating the three daily round trips between Denver and Fort Collins, the line would not need additional passing sidings, but would still require some upgrades to existing tracks to accommodate passenger service. Multiple passenger trains and freight trains together operating on a single track with passing sidings creates scenarios where trains must wait for each other to pass, causing delays. (This is not unique to the project—much of the US rail network is single-tracked, and freight railroads face this constraint operating with or without passenger services). By simplifying service and minimizing construction, the state made the project easier for BNSF to accept. The reduced cost has the added benefit of making the project politically favorable for the JSEOC to attract support.  

However, the same choices that simplify service and reduce costs also limit future improvements and expansion. The agreement sets the stage for expanding service north but does not create a service that will meet future regional growth. The agreement limits the frequency to three daily round trips and does not include major station upgrades aside from ADA and platform improvements. As the Denver and Fort Collins regions grow, demand for frequent and reliable transit will grow. Increasing frequency on the existing line will require additional passing sidings and more train sets, and growing population centers along the rail line will require larger station facilities. It remains unclear whether the agreement will permit improvements to station facilities and increased frequencies, either through changes to the existing agreement or entirely separate negotiations. 

Expanding the line raises similar questions. The state proposes that the agreement will allow the JSEOC to transfer the “one access” element to the FRPR, whose broader mission is to expand passenger rail service across the Front Range. The proposed agreement only applies to service between Denver and Fort Collins. It is unclear whether BNSF would support extending passenger rail north of Fort Collins. The final agreement should clarify whether future passenger rail growth is addressed through amendments to the existing agreement or through separate negotiations entirely. Early clarity helps the parties build trust with the host railroad and plan for future expansion. 

Freight rail-public agency agreements 

Colorado joins several states that use agreements with freight railroads to start or expand passenger rail. In Chicago, BNSF and the commuter railroad, Metra, have an agreement where BNSF owns the corridor and runs the commuter trains. On April 1, Metra renewed its agreement with BNSF for the next five years, with an automatic five-year extension unless either party terminates the agreement. In Pennsylvania, the state DOT and Norfolk Southern reached an agreement in 2023 to add a second daily round trip between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, with the state contributing $200 million in infrastructure improvements. These examples suggest that these agreements work when the host railroad enjoys some operational benefits. But they are also context-specific, and Colorado’s situation is different. The agreement in Colorado is institutionally complex because the JSEOC brings together multiple agencies with different missions, even though it is working with BNSF through a single framework.   

Next Steps 

The tentative agreement requires approval from various governing boards, with final decisions on costs and designs expected later in 2026. The main takeaway from this agreement is that the state has reached a cheaper and simplified strategy to expand passenger rail in northern Colorado. The unanswered question is whether the final agreement leaves enough flexibility for increased frequency and future rail growth or if it will hinder the region’s ability to plan for the future.