CO: RTD is back on track. Hop on board. (Opinion)

It’s no secret that RTD has been going through some rough waters. We have faced many issues over the past three years: rail burn, COVID service cutbacks, not building the promised FasTracks rail lines, low ridership numbers, etc.

We have turned a corner. The RTD skies are blue, and we are back on track. Our board and staff leadership team have come together in recent months, and we are making important changes. Progress is measurable:

RTD will be kicking off a new SkyRide service that starts in Longmont and will serve Lafayette and Erie, and then head to DIA. Service will likely start in September, and fares will be $10 one way, seniors pay $5, and kids 19 and under are free! Pretty good deal.

Beginning June 7, bus service from Longmont to Broomfield — traveling down U.S. 287 — will increase significantly. We changed the name of the bus — rather than call the bus route the “LD,” it will now be called the “287.” To get to Denver, transfer at the Broomfield Park & Ride and take the Flatiron Flyer. The bus fare from Longmont to Denver Union Station is $2.75. Seniors pay $1.35 and kiddos are free. Compare that fare to $4.50/gallon of gas! Easy choice.

Northwest Rail — yes! We have waited for two decades for our rail line to be built. At last, RTD has taken the next step in building the line from Denver to Boulder to Longmont by appropriating funds to design and perform the preliminary engineering. (Front Range Passenger Rail will then extend the line to Fort Collins.) RTD has partners in this project — the Governor’s Office, Colorado Department of Transportation and Front Range Passenger Rail have all come together with RTD to build this rail line. We will start with three round trips a day from Fort Collins to Denver. As ridership builds and funds are available, we will increase to 10 daily round trips. Start date: Jan. 1, 2029.

The City of Longmont already has amazing plans for the new Transit Station, which will accommodate both rail and bus. This will be located at First and Main Streets. This station will be the cornerstone of their planned transit-oriented development that will feature housing, restaurants and shops. They recently announced that Front Range Community College will build a new campus at the corner of the station. This rail line will link CSU, FRCC and CU together. Pretty darn cool!

How to get information to travel seamlessly around the region? Go to: RTD-Denver.com. You can learn how to get the bus, schedules, maps, download the RTD app, and learn about Tap to Pay. You just need a credit card or your RTD cellphone app to jump on the bus and go. No need to buy tickets. Cash works, too. Very simple.

Now to the thank yous.

So many people to thank for all of these new, wonderful changes! It’s teamwork.

As they say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” You can also say, “It takes a village to build a rail line and new bus routes.”

So many people made these new services possible. First, I want to thank the RTD Board for their support in bringing new service to East Boulder County, especially RTD Director Lynn Gusinger. I want to thank our top staff leadership/management team for listening to our customers and strategizing how to provide the service (Debra, Angel, Patrick, Kelly, Jesse and Natalie). They made it happen.

Thanks to: Former Longmont Mayor Joan Peak (our transit leader), Mayor Susie Hildago-Fahring, Councilmembers Kalkhofer, Marsing, McCoy and Popkin, City Manager Harold Domingez, Longmont transportation staff Cammie Edson, Phill Greenwald, Governor’s Office representative Lisa Kaufmann, Brandon Schaffer, and many CDOT partners.

And also thank you to the 150-plus residents for contacting me asking for SkyRide service. And thanks to rail advocates, the Rev. Kay Marsh and Pat Davis. You made a difference.

RTD is back with renewed energy. Please know we are working hard to get you back to riding our buses and trains. We have improved our timeliness, security and service levels.

We want you back! Time to try us again. Hop on board.

Karen Benker is the RTD director for Longmont, Broomfield, Erie and Lafayette.

To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

© 2026 the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.).
Visit www.dailycamera.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.