VIDEO: The Board of El Paso County Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to study the viability of establishing an industrial rail park in southern El Paso County, at its regular meeting on Thursday, May 3, 2018. As a Colorado centered industrial with immediate rail access, it could stimulate the creation of new jobs in both manufacturing and logistics. The manufacturing sector, which has experienced a significant decline in recent years, has the largest multiplier of any sector, spurring the creation of other jobs and investments, and stimulating more economic activity than any other sector.
Through the MOU, El Paso County will be working with Colorado Springs, Fountain, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation, the Edward C. Levy Company and Colorado Springs Utilities in a collaborative effort to complete the civil engineering studies, market analysis, fiscal impact study and work force analysis to fully assess the viability of the project.
In 2015, El Paso County funded an initial review into the possibility of an industrial rail park on a site just west of the Ray Nixon power plant. Using rail spurs owned by Colorado Springs Utilities the it could be served by both the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and the Union Pacific. The site could also be a second rail access for Fort Carson, enhancing both resiliency and mission readiness.
Colorado Springs Utilities has indicated conditional support for the concept and the initial topography review was promising. Through the MOU there will be additional research into rail serviceability and various funding opportunities including economic development grants that might be available.
Meetings of the Board of County Commissioners can be viewed through live streaming at
Regularly scheduled BoCC meetings are held Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Hearing Room at Centennial Hall, 200 South Cascade Avenue in downtown Colorado Springs.