RTD Rate Hikes Rile City And University Officials

BOULDER, CO - RTD officials advanced proposed fare hikes across the metro area in a meeting Tuesday night. Many local and regional fares will jump, but it is increased costs for popular local pass programs that has city and university officials particularly concerned. According to comments by Mayor Suzanne Jones in a Tuesday night council meeting, "it may become unaffordable to have EcoPasses," reported the Daily Camera.

RTD officials pushed back against complaints, saying that its working group designed the fare hikes in the name of increased equity to fund new discount programs for low-income and youth riders. They also noted that some fare increases may have already been in order. The Camera reports that in response to concerns from CU that it would no longer be possible to continue their CollegePass program, RTD CEO David Genova asked the university in a letter to "Please keep in mind that pricing for CollegePass has not increased since 2011."

Also in peril is the Downtown Boulder employee EcoPass, which gets its funding for more than 7,000 worker passes from parking revenues. City spokeswoman Megan Wilson said that the program's costs could more than double by 2021 - and that without the free passes, many current transit riders would shift back to driving cars.

Get the full story from the Daily Camera.