RTD’s pay-to-park program isn’t paying. The program that charges out-of-district transit riders to use high-demand park-n-Ride lots has brought in only 33 percent of its expected revenue, while costing only 54 percent of its original expenses.

The Regional Transportation District Board of Directors unanimously approved a three-year contract for new RTD General Manager Phil Washington, who was unanimously chosen by the Board in December. Washington’s total annual compensation is $306,449, which includes a base salary of $275,000 plus the normal fringe benefits that are regularly paid to all RTD salaried employees.

The Denver Post reports that Mayor John Hickenlooper has selected longtime transportation advocate Angie Rivera-Malpiede to succeed Juanita Chacon as RTD director for District C, which includes northwest Denver and surrounding areas.

FasTracks construction of the new Sheridan Boulevard bridge is on schedule – good news for drivers through the two-lane work zone – and the structure may get its first girders next week. View a video of the work here and click on the story for an additional slide show.

RTD’s first light rail exterior ad is for the Healthy Marriage Project. RTD rendering.
RTD Media Release
RTD’s first light rail exterior advertisements rolling out, available in extra large size
New revenue source helps during tough economic times
The Regional Transportation District has a new option for those who want to advertise on RTD vehicles. RTD’s first light rail train exterior advertisement will be running on the tracks beginning Wednesday, March 3.
RTD will join many transit agencies in the United States and internationally that utilize the exteriors of their light rail train …

Lakewood Edge reports that the public will encounter delays or detours at the Jefferson County government campus on Johnson Road in the coming weeks due to West Corridor light rail construction. Crews moved in Monday to begin operations that include excavation for retaining walls and the parking garage, underground utility relocations, station construction and roadwork. During construction, the bike path just south of the complex will be closed and pedestrians will be re-routed north on Johnson Road to Jefferson County Parkway.

The Regional Transportation District has established an official presence on the popular social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. These sites will allow RTD to disseminate news, special events, fun facts and additional information about the RTD base system and the FasTracks program and receive input.

If anyone had to go through a year like Pauletta Tonilas did last year, they might just want a nice vacation. But the truth is that this year will likely be even more intense for Tonilas, the public information manager for RTD’s FasTracks program. She was honored this week by the Colorado Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar as its “Woman of the Year.”

U.S. District Judge John Kane today declined to issue an order that would have halted work that began this week on the conversion of Denver Union Station into the rail hub for the FasTracks network. At a hearing this morning, the judge denied a motion by the Colorado Rail Passenger Association for a temporary restraining order.

Crews for the Regional Transportation District are scheduled to close one lane in each direction of U.S. 36 between Church Ranch Boulevard and Wadsworth Parkway from 6 a.m. through 9 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 27, to pour the curbs on the deck of the pedestrian bridge.