About the Study

The BNSF and UP have jointly developed and proposed a series of rail infrastructure improvements entitled the BNSF/UP Front Range railroadstudy Infrastructure Rationalization Project. The BNSF/UP proposal consists of a wide variety of infrastructure improvements. The various tasks to be conducted by the Consultant in addressing the study purpose and goal statements described above will comprise the study related to implementation of the proposed project.This study is intended to be preliminary in nature and broad in terms of detail, since it may be an initial phase of what may become a more comprehensive analysis of the proposed infrastructure improvements. Additional levels of detail related to environmental mitigation, costs, appraisals related to possible right-of-way acquisitions, transit feasibility, and final considerations due to future refinements in infrastructure location and alignment may be proposed to be conducted in the future based on analysis of the results and recommendations of this study. Also, additional detailed analysis of the economic impacts of the proposed improvements at both the state and regional levels may be an element of a future phase of this work.

This study is not an environmental study, nor is it intended to predetermine any outcome of any environmental study that may be in progress or later undertaken related to this proposal. Furthermore, nothing prepared on behalf of this study shall preclude federal, state or local agencies or officials from fulfilling their responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as codified in 42 U.S.C., section 4321, et seq., or any of NEPA’s implementing regulations.