Thornton, CO
Stop on the proposed 17,000-mile maglev network. Next stop: Westminster, CO (4.1 mi).
About Thornton
Thornton is a home rule city located in Adams and Weld counties, Colorado, United States. The city population was 141,867, all in Adams County, at the 2020 United States census, an increase of 19.44% since the 2010 United States census. Thornton is the sixth-most-populous city in Colorado and the 191st-most-populous city in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia summary (full article). Population and facts as published there.
Cost breakdown (proposal-scale estimates — see math)
| Item | Basis | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal construction | Small-city terminal (parametric range $0.5–1B) | $0.75B |
| Land acquisition | Regional factor 1.0× on $200M base | $200M |
| Track: Thornton → Westminster | 4.1 mi × $500M/mi | $2.0B |
| Annual operations (share) | Staffing, power, maintenance | $15M/yr |
| Stop total (excl. annual ops) | $3.0B |
Best terminal location (proposed)
The Thornton Crossroads / I-25–136th Avenue station area. The N Line commuter-rail station at 136th Avenue anchors Thornton's transit-oriented development zone, with greenfield parcels still available around it. The site serves the north metro's commuter shed and sits directly on the I-25 corridor.
Before / after
Aerial mock-up (illustrative, not an engineering rendering). Left: the proposed site today. Right: with the maglev terminal.
- Northglenn, CO — established north suburb.
- Federal Heights, CO — small city on the corridor.
- The 120th Avenue corridor — commercial infill.