The Denver Post reports that RTD is testing Automated Train Stopping technology on its light rail corridors, part of the response to a fatal rail transit crash in Los Angeles.
The system sounds an alarm inside the operator’s cab and begins braking if the train passes a red signal along the tracks.
Simulation shows a single light-rail car operating on Downing Street within the traffic lanes as part of the proposed Central Corridor Extension.
The smallest FasTracks corridor is less than a mile long, but it makes the connection between the RTD’s original RTD light rail line and the proposed commuter rail corridor to Denver International Airport.
The Central Corridor Extension would run for nine-tenths of a mile up Downing Street from the original station at 30th Avenue to a new joint station with the East Corridor trains along Blake Street at 38th Street, where transfers could be made to the airport train.
The details are in an environmental evaluation on the estimated $67.3 million project that RTD released last month. The transit agency is accepting public comments on it until Monday.
RTD Press Release
The Regional Transportation District will be conducting track maintenance on the mainline track near the Mariposa Facility Sunday morning, December 13, from 12:01 am to 1:00 pm Sunday afternoon. This will only affect the I-25/Broadway, Alameda and 10th/Osage Light Rail Stations. The rest of the light rail system remains in normal operation.
While the maintenance work is being performed, RTD will run shuttle buses between the I-25/ Broadway and 10th/Osage stations, also stopping at the Alameda Station. Light rail will be in normal operation south of the I-25 and Broadway station and north of the 10th and Osage Station.
Two lanes, two years. Get ready, drivers, for what may be the West Corridor light rail project’s most inconvenient traffic impact.
Starting Monday night and lasting for about the next two years, four-lane Sheridan Boulevard between 10th and 14th avenues will be narrowed down to two lanes. If you can get through this, you can get through most anything FasTracks will throw at your drive over the next eight years.
RTD intends to reinstate the G Line light rail, its only suburb-to-suburb rapid transit service, after it builds a 2.3-mile extension to the Southeast Corridor tracks into Lone Tree as part of the FasTracks program.
The line, which was eliminated earlier this year due to low ridership, would merit resumed service because in conjunction with the light rail extension up the Interstate 225 Corridor through Aurora, it would link the growing Fitzsimons medical campus on Colfax Avenue with the growing Douglas County area around Lone Tree and the RidgeGate area, including Sky Ridge Medical Center.
In between it would make stops at Aurora City Center, Parker Road, the Denver Tech Center, Park Meadows and the entire southeast business corridor. The operating plan is outlined in an environmental evaluation of the estimated $184.3 million Southeast Corridor Extension.
This simulated view looking west over C-470 toward Santa Fe Drive shows RTD's Southwest Corridor Extension curving into Highlands Ranch from Mineral Station. The station in the picture is a future intermediate stop before Lucent Boulevard.
RTD’s FasTracks plan to build an extension to the Littleton light rail line faces few environmental hurdles along the 2.5-mile route from Mineral Avenue to Lucent Boulevard in Highlands Ranch.
The biggest hurdle it faces is being at the end of the line for funding from the overall FasTracks budget, which has a $2.2 billion shortfall trying to pay for $6.9 billion worth of work by 2017.
Contractor crews led by Railroad Specialties of Littleton do track welding as part of the expansion of the Elati light rail maintenance facility and train yard, a part of FasTracks.
RTD has spent or committed $1.17 billion so far on FasTracks, one-sixth of the total estimated cost through 2017 of its rapid-transit expansion program.
The commitment level represents items already paid for plus current work now under contract – 17 percent of the total $6.9 billion projected cost.
Funds have been committed to all 10 rapid transit rail and bus corridors plus assorted common elements such as conversion of Denver Union Station into FasTracks’ main hub, expansion of the light rail maintenance facility in Englewood and planning for a new maintenance facility for heavy-rail commuter train cars.
A significant portion of the commitments have been made to corridors facing cutbacks if no new revenues are found to complete them.
RTD Press Release
Today, the Regional Transportation District is marking the 15th anniversary of light rail opening in the metro area. Since RTD opened the 5.3-mile Central Light Rail Line October 7, 1994, RTD’s 35-mile light rail system has carried nearly 150 million passenger trips.
The light rail network carries an average of about 60,000 passenger trips every weekday, ahead of ridership projections. All four of RTD’s light rail lines were built on time and on budget, and each exceeded ridership projections.
RTD Chairman Lee Kemp said, “The 15th Anniversary of light rail in the metro area is yet another milestone among the many RTD has surpassed, with many more to come. The importance of providing rapid transit service, including the full FasTracks system, to meet the current and future needs of the region cannot be overstated.”
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The Google Street View above shows the I-70 embankment where RTD’s West Corridor light rail will go under the freeway on its alignment to the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden.
It might seem like a reverse way of making a tunnel, because it is.
But the contractor for RTD’s FasTracks West Corridor light rail says “top down” construction will spare major traffic disruptions while building the tunnel under Interstate 70, on the north side of the Sixth Avenue Freeway just east of the intersection of Colfax Avenue.
It’s an innovative way to get the job done, demonstrating that there’s usually a way to deal with any logistical problem a construction job can face. In this case, it’s how to punch a train tunnel under the man-made embankment of one of the most vital travel corridors in the entire state without bringing drivers to a halt.
As it is, travelers using I-70 will encounter overnight lane restrictions for two to three weeks and one full weekend closure of the highway – once for eastbound and once for westbound – while crews build the single-track tunnel under both carriageways of I-70 over Sixth Avenue.
RTD light rail commuters on their way to the Broncos game this Sunday will board with more than they bargained for as McDonald’s makes Denver the third stop on its national “Try Free, Ride Free” tour.
This Sunday, McDonald’s street teams will hand out round trip, one day RTD light rail passes to Denver Broncos football fans on their way to the game at Invesco Field at Mile High, along with coupons for a free Angus Third Pounder at McDonald’s. McDonald’s street teams will be handing out rail passes and coupons at the I-25 and Broadway, University of Denver and Littleton/Mineral Light Rail stations from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. while supplies last. The Broncos game begins at 2:15 p.m.
“We are delighted to be able to treat Broncos fans riding the RTD light rail to a round trip daily pass and a coupon for a free Angus Third Pounder,” said Ron Lessnau, local Denver owner/operator. “As local community members and Broncos fans ourselves, we felt it would be a fun way to celebrate our newest menu item!”
Read the entire item at Business Wire.
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