Press Releases & Announcements

Adams County Applauds RTD Board’s Investment in Next Phase N Line Completion

Adams County is pleased to share the Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board of Directors’ approval of the project development funding to advance the completion of the North Metro (N) Line. This marks the next important milestone in delivering on the entirety of the FasTracks vision approved by voters more than two decades ago.

The approved funding will support the environmental review, corridor validation, and preliminary design work needed to move the remaining 5.5-mile segment of the N Line toward construction. Completing these critical pre-construction activities will position the project to compete for future state and federal construction funding.

“Last night’s vote marks a significant milestone for the North Metro communities that have waited years to see the N Line completed,” said Adams County Board of Commissioners Chair Julie Duran Mullica. “This investment honors the commitment made to voters more than two decades ago and demonstrates what is possible when local governments, regional partners, and community advocates work together toward a shared goal.”

The N Line is already one of RTD’s strongest-performing commuter rail corridors, serving approximately 3,600 average weekday riders despite operating without its final extension. The completed corridor will extend commuter rail service farther north, improving regional connectivity for Adams County residents while supporting continued residential and commercial growth throughout the North Metro area.

As one of Colorado’s fastest-growing counties, Adams County continues to prioritize and advocate for transportation investments that improve mobility, reduce congestion, and support economic vitality. Completion of the N Line is expected to provide additional transportation options for residents, strengthen connections between communities, and help meet the growing demand created by continued population and employment growth across the county. Further, the county is a steadfast advocate for creating a network of transportation options that serves all people by improving access and, where possible, ensuring transportation is not a barrier to opportunity.

Adams County has long partnered with RTD, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), local municipalities, and regional stakeholders to advance the project. With project development now funded, those partners can continue the work necessary to prepare the corridor for future construction funding opportunities.

The total cost to complete final design and all pre-construction activities is currently estimated at approximately $55 million. The RTD Board’s approval of the initial $12 million allows regional partners to begin the work necessary to modernize the project and position it for the next phases of engineering, final design, and future construction funding opportunities for the final two stations.

“When completed, the N-Line will connect CO-7 to Denver, giving not only our residents, but people across Colorado more access to our growing region,” said Janet Lundquist, Director of Public Works at Adams County. “Importantly, this funding from RTD will allow us to bring work that was initially designed and approved decades ago up to the levels of safety, engineering, design, and more to fit in with the needs of 2026. This first $12 million is so important because we need to reevaluate things done in the past and approach this extension appropriately.”

To help maintain momentum, Adams County is working alongside the cities of Thornton, Westminster, Commerce City, as well as the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), to build a regional coalition that will advocate for completion of the N Line.

“While this is an important step forward, it is not the finish line,” Mullica said. “There is still significant work ahead to secure the funding needed to complete the final extension, but our commitment has never wavered. Adams County will continue advocating alongside our partners until the final stations are built and the promise of the N Line is fulfilled. Our residents have waited long enough, and they deserve nothing less.”