WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, along with Colorado Governor Jared Polis and U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse and Jeff Hurd celebrated the selection of Colorado has been selected for a $44 million Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant to improve rail safety, reliability, and emergency response along critical mountain corridors in central and western Colorado. The award will support CDOT’s $55 million Safe, Agile, Fast, and Efficient Rail Travel (SAFER Travel) project.
“Colorado’s rail lines wind through some of the most breathtaking terrain in the country. They move goods, connect communities, and keep our economy running,” said Hickenlooper. “Investing in their safety is how we protect the people who depend on them and set Colorado rail up for a stronger future.”
The FRA awarded the funding through the FY24-25 Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail initiative. The SAFER Travel project will work to support three major safety efforts:
- Installing rockfall barriers, specialized fencing, and other stabilization measures along approximately two miles of rail through Byers Canyon, where rockfall has caused derailments, damaged trains, and delayed passenger and freight service.
- Purchasing and equipping six mobile hazardous material and emergency response caches in East Portal, Winter Park, Hot Sulphur Springs, Steamboat Springs, Dotsero, and Parachute. These caches will give first responders faster access to specialized equipment in remote mountain areas.
- Conducting safety analyses at seven railroad crossings and advancing improvements at two priority crossings in Grand County.
“I welcome the announcement of $44 million to Colorado to increase the safety and reliability of our state’s rail system,” said Bennet. “These investments will help keep trains moving efficiently, reduce disruptions and damage, and improve service for both passenger and freight travel.”
“Our mountain communities across Northern and Western Colorado know how critical it is to have safe and reliable rail travel. I’m proud to have fought for these important federal investments, which will mean fewer delays, faster emergency response, and a corridor built to serve towns and cities across the Western Slope for decades to come,” said Neguse.
“Colorado’s mountain rail corridors connect communities, carry goods across the country, and provide unforgettable passenger rail experiences, but are threatened by rockfall, multiple crossings, and remote terrain that create real safety risk. This $55 million in state and federal funding will help protect passengers, railroad workers, nearby communities, and economic supply lines, all while strengthening the safe and reliable rail service Coloradans depend on,” said Polis.
“Western Colorado depends on safe, reliable rail infrastructure to move goods, connect communities, and support our local economies. I supported the SAFER Travel Project because it addresses challenges we see every day across the Western Slope, from rockfall in our mountain canyons to making sure first responders have the tools they need when an emergency happens miles from the nearest community,” said Hurd. “This $44 million investment will help make our rail corridors safer and more reliable, and I appreciate Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration for recognizing the needs of Western Colorado and helping move this project forward.”
Hickenlooper was part of the bipartisan group of 22 senators who negotiated and wrote the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To date, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided over $7 billion for over 1,000 Colorado projects.
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