The leader of the Front Range Passenger Rail district is leaving the organization.
Andy Karsian has led the district since its inception in 2021. Before that, he served as a legislative liaison for the Colorado Department of Transportation. The agency is tasked with planning, building and operating a rail line along Colorado’s Front Range.
Karsian declined to say why he was leaving his post. But in a LinkedIn post, Karsian said that he felt, “privileged to have had this opportunity to serve Coloradans throughout the region and I look forward to finding new opportunities to continue to serve.”
Karsian’s departure was announced at the rail district’s board retreat last week, where he informed members that he would not seek to renew his contract that expires at the end of the year.
“I have appreciated the unwavering support and creativity of my staff, as well as the guidance and service of the District Board members,” Karsian wrote in his LinkedIn post.
Gov. Jared Polis had pushed the agency, which is an independent entity led by its own board of directors, to pursue a ballot measure in 2024 to help fund the planned line that would connect Pueblo, Denver, Fort Collins and points in between.
But in May, the board decided to delay putting that ballot measure in front of voters, likely until 2026, so the district and its partners, which include the Colorado Department of Transportation, could do more planning work.
Several members of the board’s executive committee declined to comment on Karsian’s exit. But many board members offered their thanks to Karsian at last week’s board retreat and a Friday board meeting.
Sal Pace, a board member appointed by Polis who sits on the executive committee, said in an interview that Karsian’s departure was not related to his performance.
“He came to us and said he'd like to step down,” Pace said, calling Karsian’s decision “magnanimous.”
The district is facing funding challenges, Pace said. The legislature gave it a few million dollars in seed money in 2023 and district officials expected more in 2024. But that did not happen, Karsian wrote in a recent budget memo to the board. The district has also received federal grants for specific projects but does not have a dedicated funding stream.
Also leaving the district is Duane Sayers, director of rail planning and operations. Sayers did not respond to a request for comment.
Still, Pace said, the district is receiving support from CDOT and other entities as it continues to work toward a 2026 ballot measure.
“We have … a little more than a year to get all of our work in order,” Pace said. “We have a lot of stuff underway. We're working on a service development plan. We're working on outreach up and down the Front Range corridor, and I feel like the district is going to be in a strong position in 2026.”
