Colorado puts tentative price tag on proposed passenger train

Context: The estimates are roughly half the costs of previous projections, senior strategic adviser to Gov. Jared Polis, Lisa Kaufmann, said Thursday.

How it works: The train would operate seven days a week with three daily round-trips with eight stops from Fort Collins to Denver, state and transit officials said at a virtual town hall.

• A southbound train leaving from Fort Collins around 6:27am would arrive at Denver Union Station at about 8:15am, estimates show.
• One late-morning option and one evening option would also be available.

Between the lines: Loveland, Longmont, Boulder, Louisville, Broomfield, and Westminster would be the additional stops, which would be part of the newly named CoCo passenger train.

What's next: Multiple agencies need to sign off before the plan can move forward with the term sheets to begin the design phase.

• Approval from the various governing boards involved in the project is expected by April 28, Kaufmann said.

What we're watching: Kaufmann said the estimated costs will change once the design phase starts, with negotiations with Amtrak providing a more concrete look at annual costs.