RTD is moving closer to collecting bus and light rail fares through pre-paid smart cards with a $15.35 million contract to ACS Transport Solutions Inc. to provide the cards, readers, base data processing equipment and wireless communications.

The North Metro commuter rail corridor through the heart of Adams County will be proposed as a single-track line but with five strategically placed double-tracked segments that will allow RTD to slash costs while retaining the capability for 15-minute service on this FasTracks corridor.

RTD has reached a total $143.8 million agreement with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway that will move progress forward on two FasTracks corridors to Arvada/Wheat Ridge and Westminster.

The Denver Post reports that RTD ticketed a record number of light rail fare evaders last year as the result of a crackdown.

The transit agency’s enforcement officers issued violation notices to 7,178 people, up from 5,074 in 2008. In 2007, 3,174 citations were issued. A large number of those ticketed ignored the citations — and their attached court dates — which can result in a criminal conviction for theft and a night in jail, Denver court administrators say.

Of the total, 6,049 citations were issued in Denver County.

A federal judge in Denver has denied a request from Colorail, a rail transit advocacy group, to stop RTD’s construction work at Denver Union Station while the group appeals to have the design study redone.

Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board members and the RTD General Manager met yesterday with White House officials to discuss the FasTracks program, including a presentation on FasTracks that focused on economic benefits and sustainability improvements.

RTD Chairman Lee Kemp, 2nd Vice Chair Noel Busck and RTD General Manager Phil Washington met Wednesday at the White House with Adolfo Carrión, President Obama’s Director of Urban Affairs for the White House Office of Urban Policy. The discussion centered on the economic benefits, mobility improvements and sustainability enhancements afforded by the FasTracks program.

It’s a first in the United States for bridge construction – the FasTracks bridge over Sixth Avenue Freeway in Lakewood will be rolled into place intact during a weekend highway closure in April.

RTD’s sales tax revenue for January retreated slightly after two months of gains, even as Colorado’s statewide sales tax collections for January retail sales went up two percent.

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) will experience temporary detours on portions of some bus routes due to the Runnin’ of the Green 7K race on Sunday, March 14, 2010. LoDo’s Annual “Lucky 7K” race will start and end in front of McCormick’s Fish House & Bar located at 17th and Wazee.

RTD Media Release

Some RTD bus service will be temporarily interrupted due to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saturday, March 13, 2010, starting at 9:30 a.m.

Denver – A portion of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) normal bus service will be interrupted in downtown Denver for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 13. The parade will start and end at Coors Field and is expected to last approximately 4 hours. The interrupted service is expected to start at 9:30 a.m. RTD will experience detours on portions of the following bus routes:

• Route 1, Route AF westbound

• Route 6, Route 20, Route 28, Route 32, Route 44 eastbound

• Route 38, Route 52 westbound and eastbound

• Route 12 northbound

• Route 8 northbound and southbound

The buses on these routes will continue running during the parade. Riders can expect to add a few minutes to their travel time because of the detours.

For route and schedule information, please call RTD’s Telephone Information Center at 303.299.6000. Call 303.299.6089 for the speech and hearing impaired. Visit RTD’s website at RTD-Denver.com.