The 2025 budget for the Regional Transportation District is the largest in the agency’s 55-year history.
The Denver-area Regional Transportation District (RTD) board approved a historic $1.2 billion budget for transit operating expenses, reports Bruce Finley in The Denver Post.
The agency is also introducing a new tap system for fare collection and making fares free for youth. “RTD staffers say they’re counting on increased fare revenues in 2025 to cover costs of letting residents aged 19 and under ride for free,” Finley adds. Only around 4 percent of the agency’s costs are funded by fare revenue.
“RTD officials said in an email that the new budget will lead to increased service. Starting in January, agency supervisors plan to reinstate 15-minute train frequencies along the E Line and the H Line. They also plan to boost bus service between Denver International Airport and Boulder.” Ridership dropped sharply between 2019 (106 million rides) and 2023 (65 million rides), but the agency projects ridership will increase slightly in the next year.
FULL STORY: RTD board approves record $1.2 billion spending on public transit in 2025
New Colorado Fossil Fuel Fee Will Fund Transit
Lawmakers say the agreement prevents a drawn-out legislative battle and establishes a new source of transit funding.
Denver Transit Proposal Could Lower Fares, Make Transit Free for Youth
The agency released a draft plan to eliminate regional zones, make airport trips more affordable, and reduce fares systemwide.
Reduced Fares Available for Low-Income Transit Riders in the Denver Area
The LiVE program (short for "live you best life") offers 40 percent discounts on transit rides for qualifying riders.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research