Colorado Snagged $34 Million For Transit and RTD Gets... None?
It’s no secret that RTD has been struggling for years. Even before the pandemic, the regional public transportation provider was experiencing a drop in ridership, despite the state seeing a population boom. Then there was the bus driver and light rail operator shortage, the organization’s ever-consuming debt, constant bus schedule changes, and whole routes being cut. Recently though, $34.2 million in federal transit aid made its way to Colorado… but RTD didn’t get any of it. Instead, the millions of dollars landed in Boulder. Host Bree Davies talks with RTD Board Director Shontel Lewis about what happened with this money and why the transit organization continues to struggle.
Read Shontel’s Op-Ed for the Denver Post about CDOT withholding federal transit funding: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/10/25/rtd-cdot-federal-funding/
Looking for more local news? Subscribe to the City Cast Denver weekday newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us about your commute on twitter: @citycastdenver
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Denver and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
Uproar Over Strip Mall Redevelopment, Bucket-List Restaurants, and Surveillance Tech in Schools
News broke this week that the owner of the Asia Center on Federal Boulevard is planning to demolish the strip mall and build in its pla...

Who is Really Winning the Scooter Wars? Plus, a 30-Year Incumbent is On the Hot Seat
Is it time to say goodbye to Lime and Bird? Denver City Council is set to vote Monday evening on a new contract with Veo Micromobility to...

REI Union Threatens Boycott, Buzzy Ice Cream Blows Up, and Who Won the Milk-Chugging Contest?
A banner appeared outside REI’s flagship store at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River a few days ago, calling on RE...

Should Coloradans Be Concerned About Our Economy? Plus, a New Vision for the Pavilions
A delegation of hotshot urban planning consultants was downtown last week to examine the newly city-owned Denver Pavilions mall on 16th S...

When Water Will Return to Huston Lake, Downtown's Literal New Fabric, and a 'Peyton Manning-Inspired' Restaurant
What’s really going on with the water source that is supposed to fill Huston Lake? Is it legal to hunt beavers in Colorado? Will Peyton...

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Seattle Gives Every Voter $100 — Presented By City Cast Denver
Could public financing get more Denverites involved in local elections? For the last decade, the City of Seattle has issued $100 in vouch...

How the Pearl Fell Apart, An Affordable Housing Beef, and Live Nation Ruling Local Reax
One week ago, Denverites crowdfunded $83,000 to save our city’s last lesbian bar. Today, there’s a lock on the door, The Pearl’s instagra...

Deep Lore Behind Idaho Springs’ New Gondola, Another Downtown Closure, and Wacky Weather Wardrobe Essentials
After being in business since the 1980s, Moda Man is closing the doors of its downtown menswear shop. Was the pandemic to blame? Or a los...

Local TV News vs. Instagram Influencers, Avs/Nuggs Playoff Stories to Watch, and Would You Eat a Beaver?
Denver’s local TV news scene is on the precipice of a big shake-up, with Fox31’s parent company Nexstar poised to acquire 9News’ parent c...

Can 80k Save Denver's Last Lesbian Bar? Plus, Denver's Big Pitch for the DNC and 'Third Space' Overload
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was in New Orleans last week along with someone dressed up like the Big Blue Bear to help make the case that t...

