In mid-August, herds of goats once again appeared along the Rio Grande Trail between Catherine Store and Carbondale. The popular weed-mitigation program is now in its ninth year. Using the goats for corridor flora management helps the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) minimize pesticide use and build soil health.

This year, RFTA started a contract with a new goat provider, Goats On The Go (GOTG), owned by landscaping business Olson Outdoors. As a government agency, RFTA is required to put the opportunity out to bid periodically. Of the four bids, GOTG won the three-to-five year contract over locally-based Goat Green, LLC, which had managed the grazing work for the past eight years. RFTA asks that the public refrain from trying to pet the working goats, that they listen to herders and stand at the shoulder of the trail if watching the animals. 

During last week’s monthly meeting, the RFTA board covered considerable territory over the course of two hours. First, they authorized a letter of support for the City of Glenwood Springs, which is submitting a Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District grant application. The City is working to improve Coach Miller Drive during the spring of 2026 with the goal to upgrade access to trails and parks and improve stormwater drainage. Part of the City’s plan includes updates to a trailhead near Glenwood Springs High School, located inside the RFTA railroad corridor. RFTA’s support does not include a financial contribution, only support for the funding application to Garfield County.

Next, the board considered a letter of support for the Colorado River Valley Economic Development Partnership (CRVEDP), which is applying for a Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiatives grant. RFTA Mobility Coordinator Mary Harlan provided details. CRVEDP focuses on economic development in the Colorado River Valley and is working to build a coalition to identify and advance conservation and sustainable recreation objectives. Multiple local, statewide, federal, municipal, nonprofit and private stakeholders will be engaged in the coalition once formed. CRVEDP is not asking RFTA for funding at this time. 

CRVEDP is applying for the maximum grant amount of $150,000. The Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative currently contributes funding to the Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition, Eagle County Community Wildlife Roundtable and West Slope Outdoors Alliance. CRVEDP hopes to serve the current gap between Glenwood Springs and De Beque. 

RFTA Director of Sustainability and Legislative Affairs David Johnson started the presentation with discussion of a grant application to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) SB-230 Formula Program. His department’s recommendation was that the board authorize requesting up to $2,175,000 from the CDOT fund in 2026. Applications to the new CDOT program are due this Friday, Sept. 19. Back in July, the Colorado General Assembly’s passage of SB-230 imposed a fee on all oil and gas produced in the state. That fee now funds CDOT’s Clean Transportation Enterprise, which will support transit agencies such as RFTA in expanding and improving services. CDOT anticipates having upwards of $34 million to allocate to proposals in fiscal year 2026 and $70 million or more available in fiscal year 2027.

Director of Finance Paul Hamilton and Budget Director David Carle then walked the board through a presentation of the first draft of RFTA’s 2026 budget. As the budget in progress is extensive, it will be covered in more detail in a future Sopris Sun report. 

The RFTA board discussed and approved changes to the Passenger Code of Conduct. The changes were prompted by work with law enforcement to more clearly define the purpose of RFTA properties, including a time limit for use of bus stops and stations. Local law enforcement has observed what it terms “loitering” with community members lingering on RFTA property for long periods of time. The new Code of Conduct language specifies that RFTA buses and facilities are only for accessing transit services, and that all transit connections can be made within 45 minutes. Individuals remaining beyond that timeframe may be asked to leave.

The next board meeting will occur on Oct. 9 at 8:30am in Carbondale. The public can also join via Webex. An agenda will be available at www.rfta.com a week ahead of the meeting.