Denver RTD to conduct analysis for transit network reliability redesign
The Denver Regional Transportation District (Denver RTD) will be conducting a major analysis to redesign its transit network for improved reliability, connectivity, equity and long-term sustainability of its network. The comprehensive operational analysis (COA) is an 18-month-long evaluation effort to learn how transit services should evolve to meet the current and future needs of the region’s riders.
The COA is a forward-looking plan that will assess Denver RTD’s entire network, including bus, rail, demand-response and paratransit services. Like the agency’s previous COA, the plan is intended to present a short-range service alignment for Denver RTD’s projected available resources for 2028 to 2032. The COA is also set to provide a long-range vision informed by population growth, land usage and travel trends across the greater Denver metropolitan region. Denver RTD says the recommended future network design will consider customer, community and stakeholder feedback.
The need for systemwide analysis
Denver RTD notes that the COA is designed to help the agency best align its services with today’s travel patterns, community priorities and available resources. Denver RTD says that mobility needs have changed substantially in recent years across the metro area while creating new demands on the transit system. The analysis will provide a comprehensive assessment of the existing network of services, including performance, route design and cost effectiveness, while identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement. The agency says it will also evaluate travel markets and customer needs to ensure future service reflects how and where people are moving today.
“[Denver] RTD’s services in the years ahead will not look the same, and that is to be expected as our customers continually change how they move throughout the Denver metro area,” said Denver RTD General Manager and CEO Debra Johnson. “The agency’s comprehensive operational analysis is a critical effort that will ensure [Denver] RTD remains intentional in its approach to its core business, which is transit service delivery. The work will ground the agency and its customers in fiscal responsibility and optimization, establishing services that are both useful and financially sustainable.”
The COA will unfold in phases, rather than just in one report, with key deliverables shared with the public throughout the process. In summer 2026, Denver RTD says it will release a current system assessment, which will provide a look at how the system currently performs and where demand is expected to grow. Later in 2026, a network alternative and analysis will be delivered that will outline different approaches to meeting that demand, including potential changes to routes, frequency and service types. The process will continue with a preferred network and final recommendations, giving the public and stakeholders multiple opportunities to review and provide input.
Who is leading the work
The COA is supported by a $3.5 million funding authorization approved by Denver RTD’s Board of Directors in July 2025. The agency says this investment ensures it can fully evaluate how to use its limited operating resources to deliver the most benefit to customers in its service area. When completed, the COA will outline a multi-year approach to delivering transit services that align with current fiscal capacities.
Following a competitive procurement process in late 2025, Denver RTD selected Jarrett Walker and Associates as the prime consultant. The firm specializes in transit network design and will lead a team of subconsultants with local expertise to ensure the work reflects the unique characteristics and needs of the region.
While the COA is an analysis, it is also intended to support future decision-making by clearly outlining options and tradeoffs. The outcome will include an updated transit network with detailed routing, service frequencies, resource requirements and a step-by-step rollout of changes. It will also provide the board with data-driven choices to guide policy decisions about service priorities.
“The COA is about doing the work needed to understand where our system is today and what it will take to meet the region’s needs tomorrow,” said Denver RTD Deputy CEO Angel Peña. “That means building alignment around choices and ensuring decisions reflect both the agency’s financial reality and our responsibility to provide equitable access to transit. We have an obligation to deliver a plan that is data-driven and responsive to the diverse communities we serve.”
What the COA will deliver
For riders, the effort is about long-term reliability and relevance. The COA is set to explore multiple scenarios, some prioritizing ridership and frequency, while others emphasize geographic coverage or access. The agency says that each approach comes with tradeoffs, and the process is designed to make those tradeoffs clear and transparent. This could mean more frequent service in high-demand corridors, new connections in growing areas or adjusting service where demand has shifted. Denver RTD says it will offer multiple opportunities to customers, community groups and local governments to provide input during future public meetings expected summer 2026.
The agency notes that equity is another central component of the COA. All proposed changes in the near-term service plan will undergo a Title VI equity review to evaluate the impacts on underrepresented communities, ensuring that decisions about service allocation, coverage and frequency are made with a clear understanding of how they affect neighborhoods across the district, particularly those who rely most on transit.
Timeline for COA
The project kicks off in April 2026, with initial assessments expected this summer and draft network concepts publicly available later this year. The short-range plan developed through the COA will guide service changes beginning in 2028.