On Monday, June 15, Senior TDM Outreach Specialist Elaine C. Erb and RTD Manager of Community Engagement Brandon Figliolino joined more than a dozen Gunbarrel residents at the new Gunbarrel Library for a lively conversation about transportation options serving their community and new options coming soon.
Brandon opened with a practical overview of current RTD service in Gunbarrel, covering how riders can pay for bus fare, the ongoing Zero Fare for Youth campaign, and real-time tools riders can use to track buses. Attendees were especially interested to learn how the AB buses to Denver International Airport provide an affordable alternative to taking rideshares or using long-term parking at the airport.
Elaine followed with an update on the CO 119 Bikeway and Bus Rapid Transit projects, expected to be complete early next year. Among the highlights: a new park-and-ride at 63rd Street in the Diagonal median, purpose-built to give Gunbarrel commuters a direct connection to the corridor. She also previewed the new protected bikeway and the dedicated bike routes that will link the neighborhood to it. Looking further ahead, attendees were eager to hear about the Colorado Connector intercity rail service, on track to launch by 2029, and what it will mean for regional commuter and resident access to desired destinations.
The biggest reaction during the presentation came when Elaine announced that RIDE Gunbarrel microtransit is now anticipated to begin service by September. For a neighborhood that lost significant coverage when both RTD and the Boulder Valley School District reduced service during the COVID-19 pandemic, the announcement was deeply personal for many in the room. One attendee shared that he has felt isolated without reliable local transit, and that RIDE Gunbarrel will finally allow him to get out of the house and reach stores and other destinations within the neighborhood. Moments like that are exactly why this work matters.
The presentation also addressed a timely safety topic: the difference between e-bikes and e-motos, and how to tell them apart. Several attendees are e-bike riders themselves, and nearly everyone in the room had noticed youth on e-motos in the neighborhood and expressed concern for their safety. The overview gave residents clearer language and context for those conversations.
The presentation wrapped up with a hands-on opportunity to board an RTD bus parked outside, where attendees could try scanning a credit card or the RTD MyRide app and learn how to use the onboard bike rack, a small but practical step toward making that first ride feel a little less unfamiliar.
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