“This is a great day!”

-Denver Mayor Michael Hancock

After years of planning and construction, today marked the opening of the University of Colorado A Line. A train pulled up to the train platform at Denver International Airport station at 9:30 a.m. carrying representatives of RTD, The City of Denver, The City of Aurora, and the State of Colorado.  These officials were on hand to cut a ceremonial ribbon to officially open the University of Colorado A Line for service.

A great number of reporters and photographers/videographers were on hand to document the event. As the train pulled up, members of the media jostled and squeezed together on the train platform to capture the ribbon cutting ceremony. There must have been around 50 people trying to capture the event.

Below is a photo of the train that carried the officials from Denver’s Union Station to Denver International Airport.

Commuter rail trains will travel up to 79 mph and carry more people than light rail vehicles—200 people at maximum. The vehicles will offer level boarding to better accommodate travelers with luggage and accessibility needs. The distance on the line between Denver International Airport and Denver’s Union Station is 23 miles. Trains will run every 15 minutes during peak hours with the trip from Union Station and the airport taking 37 minutes.

The rail line will serve eight stations, including Denver Union Station and the DIA station located at the south end of the main terminal at DIA. A trip on this train will cost $9.00.

“Our vision has always been to build a multimodal system that supports the transit needs of the growing Denver metro area,” said RTD Board Chair, Tom Tobiassen. “The opening of the FasTracks projects helps us bring that dream closer to reality. The University of Colorado A Line is a key factor in connecting communities with transit and allowing people to travel from their homes to anywhere around the world.”

The University of Colorado A Line train platform is located adjacent to The Westin DIA which houses 519 rooms in a 14-story building. The Westin DIA opened in November and was designed by Gensler architecture firm. The design of the hotel is explained in the below statement provided by Gensler:

“The concept of connection is seen throughout, in details such as extending the grid of the Public Transit Center’s netted canopy into the interior ceiling of the Level 6 check-in area. Views from one element of the project into provide travelers with an intuitive sense of where they are in relationship to the Public Transit Center, hotel, plaza and terminal. From the hotel lobby, for example, travelers can watch trains arriving and departing from the train station below.”

Here is a photo of the Westin DIA lobby:

A photo of the Westin DIA as seen from the 82,000 square foot public plaza that is located between the main terminal and the hotel. Escalators are located here which provide access to the train platform below.

Below are two photos from inside the Westin DIA:

“The opening of the University of Colorado A Line is a historic milestone towards the completion of RTD’s FasTracks program and continues our success rate of opening major infrastructure projects,” said General Manager and CEO of RTD, Dave Genova. “We continue to transform the region and the University of Colorado A Line will connect the Denver metro area to the world.”

Below Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and General Manager and CEO of RTD, Dave Genova hold a piece of ribbon from today’s ceremony as Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, and Senator Michael Bennet stand behind them. 

The post University of Colorado A Line officially opens appeared first on Denver Urban Review.

“These four stations do not have the connectivity with other stations in the system needed to make them viable,” said Denver B-cycle executive director Nick Bohnenkamp. “At the same time, these stations will help us increase service in high-demand areas of the city.”

The four stations will be removed from the University of Denver campus area and Platt Park neighborhood. The locations are at 1901 Buchtel Blvd. S. (near intersection of Buchtel Blvd. and High Street); 2141 E. Evans Ave. (University of Denver, Driscoll Center); 1280 S. Washington St. (near intersection of W. Louisiana Ave. and Pearl Street, at the Light Rail station); and 650 E. Florida Ave. (near intersection of E. Florida Ave. and S. Pearl Street). All four stations have been in the lowest performance tier among the system’s 87 stations.

“When we installed these four stations, we believed there would be more travel between these neighborhoods and the downtown core by shared bike, but that hasn’t been the case,” said Bohnenkamp. “We will look to restore service to these neighborhoods when funding becomes available to expand our geographic footprint, allowing riders to connect more easily with other stations in the immediate area. Our thanks goes out to the neighborhoods and the University of Denver for the support they’ve shown the past six years.”

After these four stations close, the total number of Denver B-cycle stations in operation will be 83. Approximately 700 bicycles are currently in the Denver B-cycle system.

The price of an annual B-cycle pass has increased for first time users from $90 in 2015 to $135 in 2016.

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Current RTD shuttle bus on Denver’s 16th Street mall. DUR spring 2015.

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board of Directors announced it has approved the purchase of 36 electric shuttles. These new vehicles will be used for the 16th Street MallRide in downtown Denver. The 45-foot shuttles are 100 percent electric powered and will have a 12-year lifespan that will equate to $100,000 in savings over that time according to RTD.

“The current shuttles have been in operation for over fourteen years and it is time to replace our aging fleet to continue providing high-quality service to our riders,” said RTD Interim General Manager and CEO Dave Genova. “The new shuttles will provide the most advanced and clean-energy technology to help the environment while meeting the unique needs of vehicle operation on the busy 16th Street Mall.”

The cost of 36 electric vehicles will not exceed $27.1 million and are being manufactured by BYD Motors Inc. in China. Assembly of the shuttles will take place in California.

Design feature have been incorporated into the shuttles specifically to meet the needs of the 16th Street MallRide. Wide doors will be incorporated into the vehicles for easy boarding and exit of passengers. Low floors will also be included for a smooth transition on and off the shuttles. This fleet of vehicles will also have air conditioning for Denver’s hot summer days.

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Exterior view of the RTD Commuter Rail Car at Denver’s Union Station DUR.

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board of Directors has approved a naming rights agreement with the University of Colorado. This is the first agreement of this kind in RTD’s history. According to RTD this agreement will cover the commuter rail line from Denver’s Union Station to Denver International Airport. Advertising on the Flatiron Bus Rapid Transit line that runs along US 36 from Union Station to Boulder is also part of the deal.

RTD will receive $5 million over the course of five years in this agreement to build the best online stock trading platform. The Board of Directors will also determine how the $5 million is allocated. The line to DIA will be titled the University of Colorado A Line.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the University of Colorado for this first contract through our corporate partnership program,” said Chuck Sisk, RTD Board Chair. “We believe that branded sponsorship is an emerging marketplace with many valuable opportunities for the local and national business communities.”

RTD estimates that the rail line to the DIA will have an annual ridership of 10 million which includes locals and out of town riders. The line to DIA is slated to open in 2016. Trains will run every 15 minutes at peak hours and will travel at a top speed of 79 mph.

“The University of Colorado is excited to partner with RTD on this initiative that brings together the state’s leading public higher education institution with the crown jewel of the largest and newest public transportation project in the United States,” CU President Bruce D. Benson said. “CU is kicking off a major marketing initiative next month and the University of Colorado A Line and Flatiron Flyer will be important parts of the effort.”

RTD is also currently seeking other advertising and sponsorship opportunities through its corporate partnership program.

The post RTD secures naming rights deal with CU appeared first on Denver Urban Review.

RTD light rail. DUR summer 2015.

The planned extension of RTD’s Southeast light rail line is now one step closer to becoming a reality. Last week RTD’s Board of Directors approved a $140 million two-phased contract awarded to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc., to construct the extension in Douglas County.

Construction is slated to begin in the spring of 2016.

“The board’s contract award is a strong symbol of how much we value the collaborative and innovative spirit of working with our regional partners,” said RTD Board Chair Chuck Sisk.

This project will add 2.3 miles of rail to the south along I-25. The extension will conclude at RidgeGate Parkway on the east side of the interstate where a station will be located. 1,300 parking spaces and connecting bus lines will be located at the RidgeGate station. Two additional stations are planned to be added to the extension with one located near the Sky Ridge Medical Center and the other near the planned Lone Tree Center.

“This extension will make it possible for RTD to connect people in a rapidly growing part of the metro area to the rest of the region, including Denver International Airport,” said Dave Genova, RTD’s Interim General Manager.

The projected budget is $233.1 for the entire 2.3 mile extension. Of this budget $34 million was spent by the end of 2014 on environmental analysis, preliminary engineering and design, and eight new light rail vehicles.

The project is being financed through a combination of federal, local and private funding.

The full extension is expected to be completed in early 2019.

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Commuter rail maintenance facility. Image courtesy RTD.

In addition to the East Line, the following yet to open rail lines will utilize the facility:

• The Gold Line will operate from Union Station to Arvada
• The Northwest Rail Line will operate from Union Station to downtown Longmont
• The North Metro Rail Line will run from Union Station and will eventually extend to northern Adams County

This week it was announced that the commuter rail maintenance facility was awarded LEED Gold certification for energy efficient design. The 230,000 square foot facility is part of the Eagle P3 project and was constructed by Fluor Corporation.

Commuter rail maintenance facility. Image courtesy RTD.

“This facility will benefit the community for years to come,” said Terry Towle Fluor’s Infrastructure president. “Fluor’s collaborative approach to project development, execution and delivery enhanced the sustainable features of this facility, which is recognized by the achievement of LEED Gold certification.”

Once all the rail lines open, the facility is expected to employ approximately 220 employees that consist of operators, mechanics and support staff.

Also housed at this property is the Operations Control Center that will serve as the nerve center for rail traffic, security and communication.

For more information on RTD’s rail system take a look at their website.

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Rendering of Peña Station courtesy DIA.

Denver International Airport (DIA) and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) have announced that a sixth station will be added to RTD’s East Line adjacent to a planned 400-acre transit oriented development.

RTD’s East Line is a 22.8 mile commuter rail line that is slated to open in 2016. This line will connect Denver’s Union Station with DIA. The original plans for the East Line did not include this sixth station that will be located at 61st and Peña Boulevard.

Travel time from Union Station to DIA was originally slated to be 35 minutes. With this station at 61st, the estimated travel time is now 37 minutes. The commuter trains will travel at a top speed of 79 mph.

“This new station provides a convenient access point into RTD’s regional rail system for commuters and other riders from the growing northeast metro area,” said David Genova, RTD’s interim general manager and CEO. “This improvement would not have been possible without our long-term partnership with Denver, its airport team and the landowners, who worked together to create an asset that will significantly benefit the region.”

Exterior view of the RTD Commuter Rail Car at Denver’s Union Station.

The transit oriented development that is planned to be developed adjacent to this new East Line station has been named “Peña Station.” This master planned mixed-use development is slated to include commercial, multi-family residential, hotel, healthcare and retail components.

The first ground-up construction at Peña Station will be the 112,000 square-foot headquarters facility for Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company.

“This rail stop, anchored by the Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company headquarters facility, will create a unique smart sustainable transit-oriented development which will set the stage for the next generation of transit-oriented developments in North America,” said Cal Fulenwider, President of L.C. Fulenwider Inc.

Rendering of Peña Station courtesy RTD.

The planning of new East Line station and Peña Station has been a joint venture between four property owners, including DIA and L.C. Fulenwider, Inc. They also agreed to an overall finance plan to fund all of the initial infrastructure. Fulenwider will serve as lead developer for Peña Station.

“The transit oriented development at Peña Boulevard Station validates the Mayor’s vision of an Aerotropolis: the airport serving as a catalyst for regional economic development around its perimeter,” said airport CEO Kim Day. “Airports around the world are increasingly using development opportunities to enhance the economic benefits to their airports and their communities and while many are ahead of us, we are now well on our way.”

Construction of the Panasonic facility is expected to begin this October and the East Line is slated to begin service in the spring of 2016 with the Peña Boulevard station being operational at that time.

The post New East Line station with transit oriented development appeared first on Denver Urban Review.

Airplane takes off at DIA. Image courtesy DIA.

Denver International Airport (DIA) has announced that April set a record for passenger traffic as the busiest April in the airport’s history. More than 4.22 million passengers passed through DIA this April up 1.5 percent from April of 2014.

“As we enter the busy summer travel season, we are seeing strong increases in capacity by many of our airline partners,” said airport CEO Kim Day. “United, Southwest, American, Delta and Spirit all had increases in passengers in April, and we continue to see strong gains in international passenger traffic among United, Lufthansa, British Airways and Volaris as, increasingly, travelers are using Denver to connect with the world.”

DIA begins resurfacing of runways

Work to resurface runways at DIA began this month with an estimated cost of $46.5 million. Runway 17L-35R will be closed until September 15th. The runway is 12,000 feet long and 150 feet wide and contains over 2,000 concrete slabs that are being removed and replaced.

“DIA is now 20 years old, and there is an increased requirement for maintenance of the facility,” said Ken Greene, DIA’s chief operating officer. “Our robust pavement management program allows us to efficiently track the age and condition of more than 150,000 individual concrete panels on the airfield, and to make proactive maintenance decisions that will help to ensure the safe operation of more than a half-million flights a year.”

Opening date for DIA Westin announced

DIA also recently announced the DIA Westin will open to guests at 3 p.m. on November 19th, 2015. The Westin DIA will house 519 rooms in the 433,000 square foot, 14-story hotel.

Rendering of Westin Hotel and public plaza. Image courtesy DIA.

The Westin DIA has been constructed in concert with the airport’s new transit center. In 2016 the East Line, a commuter rail line will open and provide a connection to downtown Denver on trains that will reach a top speed of 79mph. Trains will run every 15 minuets during peak hours along the 22.8 mile line and will deliver passengers from DIA to Denver’s historic Union Station in 35 minutes. The hotel was designed by international design firm Gensler, which also designed the recently completed 16M mixed-use development in downtown Denver.

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RTD shuttle bus on Denver’s 16th Street Mall. DUR spring 2015.

Today the Regional Transportation District (RTD) has announced that it will be seeking public input in its search of a new General Manager. RTD has formed the General Manager Executive Search Committee and is asking the public what they would like to see in the next General Manager. RTD serves the public transportation needs of the 8-county Denver metro area.

RTD has created a survey for the public that is available at: RTD General Manager survey.

The survey questions will not only capture information about the characteristics and professional skills desired in the next General Manager, but will also capture information on the operation of RTD as a whole.

“It’s important to the Board of Directors that we offer our community and RTD riders the opportunity to be involved in the General Manager search process,” said Chuck Sisk, RTD Board Chair. “This public input is one element we will consider as we choose the next leader of RTD.”

Phil Washington served as RTD’s General Manager for 6 years. It was announced in March that he had accepted a position with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority – also known as LA Metro.

The Search Committee includes members of the RTD Board of Directors. This group is including input from political leaders, employees, stakeholders as well as the community to guide their decision in hiring the next General Manager.

The announcement of this community survey comes after the controversial May 26th RTD Board vote that approved a new fare structure which will include an increase in transit fares. According to RTD, this is the first fare hike in five years.

RTD has received criticism for the fare increase. In advance of the vote, citizens have organized public rallies. A concern voiced by residents is the fare hike will potentially put public transit out of reach of low-income people.

The post RTD seeks public input in search of new GM appeared first on Denver Urban Review.

RTD light rail vehicles at Union Station, DUR spring 2015.

“For the past year and a half, RTD has been conducting a fare study with the intent of simplifying the fare structure and making it more equitable across the district. Extensive public input helped shape the fare structure.  Throughout the process, RTD solicited public input and hosted over a dozen public meetings as well as 16 formal public hearings this spring to give the public numerous opportunities to provide feedback on proposed fare structure changes. Through these meetings and hearings, plus online comments, voice mails, emails and comment cards, RTD received over 1,000 comments regarding the proposed fare structure,” states RTD.

The new fare structure will take effect beginning New Year’s Day 2016. RTD includes eight Denver metro area counties, which now totals 2.8 million people.

The new fare structure includes an increase in the price of a single-boarding fare for bus and rail by 15 percent from $2.25 to $2.60 for local trips. Monthly passes will increase from $79 to $99 for local fares.

Next year RTD plans to unveil a smart card system that can be used to store money towards transit fares. A similar technology is already in use in other cities such as Seattle. Passengers wave or tap their card on an electronic kiosk and the appropriate fare is automatically subtracted from the money that is stored on the card.

RTD has received criticism for the fare increase. In advance of the approval, citizens have organized public rallies. A concern voiced by residents is that the fare hike will potentially put public transit out of reach of low-income people.

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