Last night I attended one of RTD’s public meetings to discuss the FasTracks project and how it should proceed.  It quickly became apparent that RTD was not interested in hearing public opinion on the boondoggle – it was simply a dog and pony show. 

In the meeting RTD wanted to present five options for FasTracks ranging from a severely scaled back project to one that would take an additional 17 years (and more money) to be completed.  Click here to download the presentation from the RTD website.  There was to be no discussion about the project at all – they were only going to allow comments about the five options being presented. 

None of those five included the one option that one of their own directors, Bill McMullen, said should be included – that of dropping the project entirely. 

A few attendees including myself balked at the lack of public discussion and the facilitator was forced to allow some comments.  However, these were limited to a grand total of 10 minutes when there were 75 people in attendance.  Those that didn’t get an opportunity to speak were asked to go to the back of the room at the end of the presentation and their comments would be noted on white presentation paper.  As a result, the audience was forced to vote on choices without hearing their peers’ opinions or without complete answers to those comments from RTD. 

The meeting was a sham and nothing more. 

Of the five options that were presented, none received a majority vote as being acceptable.  Option number 5 which tells RTD they should go to the taxpayers for more money was the best received option although even that failed to garner 50% approval. 

Further, none of these so called options included a proper cost analysis to see if it was feasible or how much more it would cost than the already inflated $7.9 billion figure.  For instance, if as one of the options suggests they stop the north line at 88th Avenue, obviously more parking that originally planned is going to be needed at that location – be it a bigger parking lot or a structure.  That was not factored in.  Once again RTD puts forth proposals that are not investigated properly. 

Prior to the meeting I was talking to one of the city council members and she explained that we “needed” FasTracks.  Another seemed intent on hyping up the “green” aspect of the project.  These comments simply serve to highlight the public’s lack of understanding of FasTracks and exactly what it will accomplish.  The facts are:

• By RTD’s own projections, even if built out completely, FasTracks will have NO impact on roadway congestion.
• RTD's own analyses of FasTracks corridors showed that bus rapid transit using a combination of high-occupancy lanes and existing roads would cost less and do more to relieve congestion than rail.
• For every passenger mile carried, light rail consumes four times as much land as Denver-area freeways.
• Light rail uses more energy and emits more greenhouse gases, per passenger mile, than the average SUV.

Let's say I contract with someone to put a roof on my house and they then come back and jack up the price 68% and to make matters worse, they tell me that even at that increased cost, I will only get 60% of my roof done.  Am I really expected to accept that.  Heck no.  That contractor would be out on the street faster than you can say “boondoggle.”

RTD and the taxpayers entered into a contract when FasTracks was approved.  That contract said that we would pay RTD $4.7 billion for a completely built out commuter rail system.  RTD not only cannot deliver the project at the cost taxpayers agreed to, they cannot deliver the project we were promised. 

That contract should be considered null and void and should be cancelled.  If RTD then wants to continue to pursue this project, they can then come back to voters with it.  Maybe the second time around they can get it right. 

The city of Thornton needs to take a stand and not let its citizens get fleeced.