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Proponents of on Friday presented their first timeline for when — should funding become available — they from Trinidad in the south to Fort Collins in the north.

As part of an $8.7 million request from the Colorado legislature, the says its plans would lead to a train route across the state in seven to 15 years.

But that’s a big “if.” Some conservatives of paying large sums for such an endeavor, and lawmakers have been聽unable to break聽their situation.

鈥淚 think $8.7 million is certainly a significant amount of money,” said Pueblo County Commissioner Sal Pace, who leads the rail commission.

But he pointed to big-dollar projects in Denver, like the city’s stormwater drainage plans, as proof that there are infrastructure initiatives costing far more.

“It抖阴ap simply a matter of priorities. I know this is something the citizens of Colorado want and are demanding.鈥�

The money would go to everything from station alignment to engineering work and public outreach.

鈥淚f we want to accomplish our goal,” Pace said, pointing out that the state spends , “we need some seed money to do it.”

The next phase of the commission’s plans include creating a governing authority to oversee the train route, with a preliminary implementation date of November 2020.

鈥淲ith Colorado鈥檚 booming population and increasing congestion, the commission is addressing its legislative mandate to advance Front Range passenger rail as a mobility solution to benefit Coloradans,鈥澛爏aid a statement from Jacob Riger, Pace’s vice chair聽who also serves as the long-range planning manager at the Denver Regional Council of Governments.