The Colorado Clean Transit Enterprise (CTE) and Regional Transportation District (RTD) have announced a new 9.3 million USD grant that aims to increase frequency and launch new services on key bus routes, as well as restore service on some routes.
The funding grant, which additionally aims to allow for the provision of extra capacity for high-volume events, has been authorised under Senate Bill 24-230, and marks the first award under the new formula grant programme envisioned by the legislature and signed by Gov. Jared Polis.
It represents the largest single investment CTE, a state-owned business housed within the Colorado Department of Transportation, will make for Fiscal Year 2026.
The agreement will also bring to realisation an expanded partnership between both the state and RTD, with CTE and CDOT having directly expedited the grant at RTD’s request.
Gov. Jared Polis said:I signed SB24-230 to protect our clean air and increase transportation options for Coloradans, and now Coloradans are seeing the benefits.
Coloradans want more transportation options that get us where we want to go, saving time and money, while reducing traffic and pollution. Thanks to this important law, Coloradans along busy bus routes will see increased service.
Key service improvements set to be funded by the grant include frequency increases and pattern revisions (Routes 1E/44 (ART Shuttle), 37, LD3/287, the 16th Street FreeRide, and 21E); service extensions (the expansion of Route 19 to serve more destinations); reinstatement of service (the return of Routes 53 and 80); new regional connectivity (a new route will connect Longmont directly to Denver International Airport) and high volume event support.
By law, the SB24-230 funding is dedicated to the expansion and restoration of transit services. RTD has identified several high-priority areas where these funds will be immediately applied to increase frequency, launch new routes and restore services that have been dormant for several years. Key service improvements funded by this grant include:
The SB24-230 Formula Program is funded by revenues generated by the state’s Oil and Gas Production Fee, which has been specifically designed to reinvest in sustainable transportation and rail infrastructure.
