Photo courtesy of RTD.
Transit planning
Transit planning is essential to how people move around the Denver region. It will be even more important as the region continues to grow. While the Regional Transportation District is the region’s transit planning agency, the Denver Regional Council of Governments helps ensure transit is available to persons of all ages, incomes and abilities. Access the DRCOG Section 5310 Program Management Plan for more information.
2050 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan Coordinated Transit Plan
The 2050 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan Coordinated Transit Plan provides a framework for coordinating transit services in the Denver region. The 2050 transit element was adopted in spring 2021 and governs the process for awarding funds for transportation for older adults and people with disabilities, as well as specialized transit.
The 2050 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan Coordinated Transit Plan addresses federal requirements, identifies strategies to address the transportation needs of the region’s older adults and individuals with disabilities and emphasizes the region’s integrated approach to coordinating an array of fixed-route and human-service transit services. The plan serves as the federally required Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan for the Denver region.
Human service transportation coordination
Human service transportation includes services for older adults and individuals with disabilities. It can also include services for people with low income offered in areas where there are limited or no fixed route services. Several agencies provide human service transportation throughout the region.
DRCOG staff work with the Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council and other groups to improve the coordination of human service transportation. This includes serving on the Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council's board in an ex officio capacity. DRCOG, the Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council, the Regional Transportation District and other stakeholders collaborate in the planning, development and implementation of regional coordination strategies. DRCOG also provides input to the RTD and the Colorado Department of Transportation on the selection of projects to receive federal and state grant funding within the DRCOG region.
Federal Transit Administration and Transportation Improvement Program Human Service Transportation set-aside
Federal Transit Administration Section 5310, also known as Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities, provides formula funding to states for the purpose of assisting private nonprofit groups in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities when the transportation service provided is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting these needs. DRCOG administers the Federal Transit Administration 5310 program in its role as designated recipient of those funds for the Denver-Aurora Urbanized Area.
For further details on how DRCOG administers the program, please read the DRCOG 5310 Program Management Plan. The Colorado Department of Transportation administers the Federal Transit Administration 5310 program for areas in the DRCOG region outside of the Denver-Aurora Urbanized Area including Small Urbanized areas (Boulder, Louisville-Lafayette and Longmont) and areas outside of urbanized areas mostly on the plains and in the foothills.
In 2018, DRCOG adopted a set-aside of $4 million over four years for Human Service Transportation as part of the fiscal years 2020-2023 Transportation Improvement Program Policy. The Human Service Transportation set-aside provides a dedicated funding source to improve mobility for vulnerable populations, including older adults, low-income individuals, veterans and individuals with disabilities. This set-aside complements Federal Transit Administration 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities and Older Americans Act/Older Coloradans Act dollars by funding identified needs that are underfunded or underserved by those sources.
RTD FasTracks Review
DRCOG is charged with approving financial plans and vehicle technology for RTD rapid transit projects, such as FasTracks. Rather than a prescribed annual review, DRCOG requires a FasTracks Plan Change Report only when the RTD proposes changes from the most recent DRCOG-approved FasTracks Plan. RTD's 2014 FasTracks Plan Baseline Report serves as a basis for identifying future changes in addition to status reports. DRCOG reviews the changes, identifies those of significance and takes action it deems appropriate.