NADO-USDA Technical Assistance Project - Southwest Colorado

The final report concludes that there has been a significant amount of planning that has focused on a fixed-route bus service between Cortez and Durango. The literature review highlights some of the planning efforts (plans) related to this topic. All these plans/reports, including this one, provide the foundational information needed to implement a service. Further, while some fiscal/institutional conditions in the area have recently changed, the report concludes that the infrastructure exists to implement such a service. The report recommends that SWCCOG continue discussions with its Regional Transit Coordinating Council to finalize the details of a proposed Cortez-Durango fixed route transit service, with the goal of implementing a two-year pilot/trial period for the service.

The objective of this project is to assist the Southwest Colorado Council of Governments with the development of fixed route system between Cortez and Durango.

WTI will provide technical assistance to three rural communities and regions to identify and evaluate options for expanding transportation options, through a new partnership with the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)'s Research Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA sponsors technical assistance grants to rural communities and regions for transportation development, and NADO's Research Foundation, working in conjunction with WTI, was selected to receive three grants. WTI will conduct the technical assistance for three locations, one of which is in Southwest Colorado. In Southwest Colorado, WTI will assist the Southwest Colorado Council of Governments with the development of fixed route system between Cortez and Durango. The project will include the identification of funding options, and development of a sustainability plan.