Purpose/History

• What is the Mason Corridor?

  The Mason Corridor is a five-mile, north-south byway from Cherry Street to south of Harmony Road. It combines a bicycle and pedestrian trail with MAX, or "Mason Express", Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. The Corridor will also provide a framework for economic development and environmentally sustainability, creating opportunities for new mixed-use and transit oriented developments (TOD), avoiding sprawl, and enhancing our community's active lifestyle.

• What benefits does the Mason Corridor provide?

  Along with expanding transportation choices, economic development, and environmental sustainability, the Mason Corridor serves as the foundation to encourage community partnerships, private investment, active living, and attractive, urban lifestyles. The Mason Corridor is a legacy project that will connect Downtown, Colorado State University, and local business and neighborhoods throughout our community. The Mason Corridor benefits all of us (residents, property & business owners, students, visitors - whether we are driving, cycling, walking, or riding transit.)

• Does Fort Collins really need the Mason Corridor?

  From the City’s standpoint, it is an important legacy project. It provides opportunities for infill and economic development. Previous Visionary Legacy projects include: City Park, Lee Martinez Farm, and Old Town Square. The corridor was designed to fit the vision of the community.

• Is the city big enough for it?

  The city’s master plan studied this. The bus rapid transit (BRT) is a cost effective way to provide high quality transit. Denver solutions don’t fit here.  The designated guideway can transition to other technologies.  The town is growing 1-2 percent with over 131,000 people now.  The city is land locked. People will move along the corridor by choice.

• Did the voters approve the Mason Corridor project?

  Fort Collins voters and City Council approved the vision for the Mason Corridor in 1998 and 2000. What wasn’t approved by the votes at that time were two finding initiatives that included implementation of the Mason Corridor along with funding for variety of other community-wide transportation projects. Today, the city is seeking 80 percent of the total project costs from the federal government; the remaining 20 percent of the project costs will be covered by the state of Colorado as well as local contributions.

• Why has it taken since the 1990s to put the Mason Corridor together?

  The City needed to get the commitment from the Federal Transit Administration.  The market seems to be ready for it.  The idea changed from just being transportation related to an economic engine.  The community is now land locked and this addresses the need to grow from within now.

Funding

• Where is all the funding coming from?

  By pursuing many different funding sources for the Mason Corridor, our community can leverage our limited local dollars with State and Federal grants. In addition, the City can work with public/private partnerships to help spread the costs over many different sources. No one group will bear the project’s full cost. The City is requesting 80% of the project funding to come from the Federal Transit Administration. The remaining 20% will be funded by the City of Fort Collins, Downtown Development Authority, and the State of Colorado. Based on the requested Federal funds and committed State funding, the City’s local share of Mason Corridor project is approximately $4-5 Million, about the same cost as to rebuild an arterial intersection – so for the price of one intersection, the Fort Collins’ investment will leverage enough resources to build a 5+ mile corridor that will continue to generate on-going revenue for our community for many generations.

• What is the status of receiving federal Funding?

  It was approved by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) December 2007.  The President’s budget has $11.18 million for this year’s funding cycle.  If Federal dollars are delayed, a phased approach is possible to build downtown to CSU.

MAX Operations

• What is BRT?

  BRT, or Bus Rapid Transit, combines many of the features of rail transit with the flexibility of busses, BRT is the most cost-effective technology for the Mason Corridor, based on Fort Collins’ current population and ridership estimates. Some people refer to BRT as “rubber-tired light rail”.

• How many Rapid Transit buses will be purchased?

  These buses will be 60 foot long articulated buses and will use alternative fuel.  Specifications and the number of buses are being worked on during the next several months.

• Can you move bicycles on the busses?  What about shopping carts?

  Yes there will be room for three or more bicycles. Safety will dictate the maximum number.  Personal shopping carts would also be allowed on the busses.

• How fast will MAX/Mason Express BRT really be?

  Using prioritized signals the MAX will operate faster than auto travel along College Avenue and provides ten minute departures from the MAX stations. MAX is designed to emphasize speed and convenience with an exclusive guideway and easy boarding.

• Fasttrack in Denver runs 24/7.  When will the BRT run?

  It will run until 12 at night and initially, not on Sundays. Service may be extended as funding becomes available and if it is deemed necessary.

• What about when train is on the track? How will you have bus, rail and vehicular traffic?

  All (the train, buses, cars, pedestrians and bicycles) will operate in their own areas. The corridor is 5 miles in length.  Downtown, buses and cars will be mixed together.  At the University Station and through CSU, there will be a designated guideway on the outer 25 feet of the BNSF on the east side of the tracks.  From Prospect, south, the BRT will continue to be on the east side of the tracks in the outside 25 feet of the BNSF right-of-way and the pedestrian and bicycle trail will be on the outer west side of the BSNF right-of-way.  More maps and graphics are available on the Engineering and Design Page.

MAX Operations/Layout

• Does the Mason Corridor go where I want to go?

  The Mason Corridor will link many major activity and community centers throughout Fort Collins including: Downtown, CSU’s main campus and Veterinary Teaching Hospital/South Campus, National Resources Research Center (NRRC), Foothills Mall and Major retail and businesses located along College Avenue, as well as many adjacent neighborhoods. Sixty percent of jobs in Fort Collins are located within one mile of the Mason Corridor. In the future, MAX will connect people to/from Loveland and other communities along the North Front Range and ultimately to the Denver/ Boulder Metro area via regional connections being planned by the Colorado Department of Transportation.

• Will I still be able to drive on Mason Street?

  The Mason Corridor will continue to allow auto traffic on Mason and McClelland streets just as it does today. Converting Mason and Howes streets downtown back to two-way traffic will make it easier to drive the corridor.

• What about an interim at grade crossing at Whole Foods?

  This is not possible given the railroad’s safety concerns.  It is private property owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad.  There are eight trains a day that travel fast.

• What about the railroad tracks and people in wheelchairs?

  We need good pedestrian and wheelchair access at all the stations along the corridor.  At the Drake Road and Swallow Road stations, there is a separate access which is direct and safe.  Also at Troutman Parkway, safe access is being planned for even though there isn’t street access.

• The Mason Corridor is situated behind K-Mart and other stores. How will people access them?

  New infill development will face the corridor.  Barnes and Noble already has two front doors facing east and west.  Newer structures will need to be designed to provide service to the Mason Corridor.

• Will there be parking near stations?

  Over 200 spaces will be available at the south transit station.  There will be shared parking at Drake in the K-Mart lot and at other stations.

• The Mason Corridor project stops at the Transportation Center, what about traveling farther north?

  The comprehensive land use plan uses enhanced transportation corridors to connect:  downtown north-south along College, east – west on Vine to Mountain Vista, north-south on Timberline and east-west on Harmony Road to the South Transit Center.  This will be studied further in the Transfort Strategic  Operating Plan study.

• With the new South Transit Center, what happens to the South Transit Center at the Square?

  This will also be studied in the Transfort Strategic Operating Plan study.

• How many businesses will be displaced?  What about car dealerships?

  None, the City is working closely with existing businesses.  City would be pleased if the dealers stay in place.

Operations/ Buses

• How can people get their preferences for the bus system known?

  The Transfort Strategic Operating Plan request for proposal was put out to bid. This study should start this spring, with completion in the first or second quarter of 2009.  There will be an extensive public outreach process as part of this plan.

• The Transfort bus system is shown tying into the Mason Corridor BRT using existing and future routes.  Is there money and what is the time table for completing this system?

  In 2002, the Transfort Strategic Operating Plan for the transit system was developed.  Phase 1 was implemented in 6 years.  There are three more phases.  There is funding to update the strategic plan and determine timeframes.

• Questioner lives near Drake and Taft Hill and cannot get to South Harmony.  She does not want to have to go south to go north.

  In the update study we will also look at how we serve different areas of the community and make recommended transit improvements.

• Why is the Mason Corridor happening and the improvements to the Transfort bus routes not happening?

  The changes in bus routes are scheduled to happen in the next ten years.  There are two different types of expenses.  The Mason Corridor has one time capital expenses.  The improvements in the bus routes are long term increases in operating costs. This funding needs to be identified.

• How will you know which parts of the bus system will be ready for the BRT when it is completed?

  An extensive public information campaign will accompany the construction of the Mason Corridor. The public will be made aware, using every media channel, of the corridor's opening.

• What about getting to the new Front Range Village on Harmony?

  Harmony is an enhanced transportation corridor. People will be able to travel by bus on Harmony.

Economic  Development

• Currently there is retail shopping on the south part of the corridor.  A large mall on the east side of Harmony is being developed. Major anchors are deciding to move elsewhere.  What are the plans to get retailers back?

  Community economic development is taken seriously. The City has prepared a special overlay for the Mason Corridor and is working to identify interested businesses.

Regional Planning

• Regional rail was mentioned. What is the likely time frame?  Which package is most likely?

  The current Environmental Impact Study of north-south travel to Denver includes two choices:  A) Commuter rail along existing tracks following along US 287 and B) Bus Rapid Transit commencing at I-25 and the Harmony Corridor.  Federal funding has not been identified.  Both are at draft stage.  The Federal representatives are currently reviewing cost effectiveness.  Rail is very expensive.  There would need to be a phased approach.  The population in Northern Colorado will grow significantly in the next 20 to 30 years.  The rail option (A) could be linked to the Mason Corridor at the South Transit Center and the Bus Rapid Transit option (B) could be linked at the existing Harmony Transit Center.