RTD Launches RTD CONNECT Network Planning Effort

Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) is launching RTD CONNECT, an 18-month, districtwide initiative to evaluate and redesign its transit network. The agency will build a team of 30 community ambassadors to help inform the effort.

The program, formally the Comprehensive Operations and Network Needs Evaluation for Community Transit, will develop short- and long-term service plans to guide how RTD uses available resources to meet regional transportation needs. The effort will consider post-pandemic travel patterns, ridership trends, industry benchmarks, and the agency’s structural budget, while weighing the balance between service frequency and geographic coverage across its 15 districts.

Community ambassadors will serve as links between RTD and residents, sharing project information, gathering feedback, and connecting community members with engagement opportunities. RTD plans to select two ambassadors from each of its 15 director districts.

RTD CONNECT is currently in its first phase, focused on evaluating the existing network. Ambassadors will help inform later phases, including potential network alternatives in fall 2026 and short- and long-range service plans expected in summer 2027.

In addition to the community ambassador program, RTD will provide opportunities for community members to provide feedback on three key proposals related to service changes, service plan, and long-range vision. RTD aims to engage community voices to help shape the future of the region’s transit.