RTD Press Release

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) and Union Pacific Railroad (UP) celebrated the transfer of railroad property that RTD purchased from UP for the North Metro rail project that will be built through the FasTracks program.

At a ceremony this morning in Thornton at the site of the future Eastlake Station at 124th and Claude Court, RTD and UP were joined by local stakeholders whose communities will benefit from the project. The property that RTD purchased from UP is known as the Boulder Industrial Lead, a 33-mile stretch of property from Brighton Boulevard to the Valmont Power Plant in Boulder. The property will be used to build out the North Metro commuter rail corridor up to 162nd near State Highway 7. The tracks then turn west and head up to Boulder. The $118 million investment in the North Metro Corridor also allows RTD to preserve right-of-way to Boulder for future expansion.

“The significance of this event is two-fold: It marks years of collaboration with Union Pacific culminating in this purchase of property for FasTracks, and it represents a major investment in laying the foundation for the North Metro Corridor,” said RTD Interim General Manager Phil Washington.

“We appreciate the close working relationship we’ve had over the past several years with RTD and it shows how freight rail and passenger rail can work together for everyone’s benefit,” said Dick Hartman, Union Pacific Director of Public Affairs. “We look forward to continuing to work with RTD and all local stakeholders on FasTracks projects and others of mutual interest to RTD and the railroad.”

Looking toward the southeast from Pecos Street, the Union Pacific Railroad tracks head toward Utah Junction and the North Yard.

Adams County is set to start construction on an overall $43 million project that will greatly enhance mobility along Pecos Street near Interstate 76, open up redevelopment possibilities and at the same time make FasTracks a little bit better.

Sema Construction of Centennial was awarded a $27.5 million construction contract by Adams County to build the Pecos Street grade separation, a 1,000-foot, eight-span bridge that will take Pecos Street over the Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tracks between 56th and 62nd avenues, plus access roads down to the properties below the bridge.

Work will start with detour set-up as early as next month.

No more stopping for an hour or more looking at a coal train parked across Pecos. The price drivers will pay for this 22-month project is a total closure of Pecos at the crossing almost to the end of the project in October 2011.

To expand to full screen and read the captions, first click on the “play” button and then click on the box that will appear at the lower right corner — with the four little arrows pointing outward. When the full screen appears, click on “Show Info” at the menu bar on the top right.

Map outlines the estimated $38 million in costs to upgrade tracks that would allow reinstatement of the Amtrak Pioneer train service between Denver and Seattle.

CDOT has asked Amtrak to clarify whether five western states including Colorado would be asked to subsidize $33.1 million in annual operating losses to reinstate daily Pioneer train service between Denver and Seattle.

The state’s modal programs manager at CDOT, Tom Mauser, also questioned the estimated $470 million in capital upgrades that Union Pacific Railroad gave to Amtrak for a draft study on the reinstatement, noting that Amtrak had run Pioneer service over the same Wyoming Overland route as recently as 12 years ago.

“Given that the Pioneer operated over the Overland route just 12 years ago, the high capital costs in Option 2 ($470 million) seem to go beyond what is required to restore the same service,” Mauser wrote in comments submitted to Amtrak.

Adams County has issued a request for proposals to award a contract for the Pecos Street Grade Separation Project. This $43 million project will grade separate Pecos Street from the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern railroad tracks south of I-76.

“This project is one of the Board of Commissioners highest priorities,” said board chairman Larry W. Pace. “We listened to the business and residents’ concerns about trains blocking Pecos Street for hours, and we responded. Additionally, this project has brought together partners to address a regional issue and is a key transfer station for RTD’s FasTracks project.”

The project will provide regional commuter and freight movement improvements and eliminate current safety hazards related to trains blocking Pecos Street for inordinate amounts of time.