C Line (RTD)

C Line
Old alignment near Union Station
Overview
Type	Light Rail
System	Regional Transportation District
Status	Operational
Locale	Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area
Termini	Union Station/LoDo/Coors Field Littleton/Mineral
Operation
Opening	April 5, 2002
Owner	Regional Transportation District
Operator(s)	Regional Transportation District
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	Overhead lines
Route diagram Legend Amtrak Union Station  E  &  W  Lines Pepsi Center/Elitch Gardens Sports Authority Field at Mile High Auraria West  W  Line  D ,  F  &  H  Lines 10th & Osage 6th Avenue Freeway Alameda I-25 I-25 & Broadway  E ,  F  &  H  Lines Evans Englewood Oxford/City of Sheridan Littleton/Downtown Littleton/Mineral  D  Line Colorado 470 Santa Fe Blvd & C-470 (2017) Lucent Boulevard & C-470 (2017)

The C Line – also referred to as the Orange Line, because the line is colored orange on maps – is a light rail line which is part of the light rail system operated by the Regional Transportation District in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area in Colorado. The line was added to the system on April 5, 2002, to coincide with the opening of the Central Platte Valley Spur. Initially, C trains operated seven days a week, but ran to Mineral Ave. only during peak hours and sporting events. At all other times, C service operated to I-25/Broadway. On May 3, 2003, C trains began operating to Mineral Ave. at all times. With the opening of the Southeast Corridor on November 17, 2006, weekend C service was discontinued except for certain sporting events, with the new E line operating seven days per week. On January 11, 2009, the midday service pattern between Union Station and I-25/Broadway was resumed and evening service discontinued.

Stations

The C Line's northern terminus is at Union Station in Denver, runs on a railroad right-of-way south to its junction with the D Line at 10th & Osage Station, and shares track with the D Line until both lines reach their southern terminus at Mineral Avenue in Littleton.^[1]

In addition, the C Line provides access to the sports venues of Denver – Coors Field, Pepsi Center, and Sports Authority Field at Mile High – Six Flags Elitch Gardens, and LoDo, as well as access to the western portion of the Auraria Campus.

Name	Opening Year	Interchange	Municipality	park-n-Ride?
C Line (Union Station – Littleton/Mineral)
Union Station/ Lower Downtown (LoDo)/ Coors Field/16th Street Mall	2002	E  &  W  Lines Amtrak FREE MallRide (16th St)	Denver	No
Pepsi Center / Elitch Gardens	2002	E  &  W  Lines	Denver	No
Sports Authority Field at Mile High	2002	E  &  W  Lines	Denver	No
Auraria West Campus	2002	E  &  W  Lines	Denver	No
10th & Osage	1994	D ,  E ,  F , &  H  Lines	Denver	No
Alameda	1994	D ,  E ,  F , &  H  Lines	Denver	No
I-25 & Broadway	1994	D ,  E ,  F , &  H  Lines	Denver	Yes
Fare Zone Boundary
Evans	2000	D  Line	Denver	Yes
Englewood	2000	D  Line	Englewood	Yes
Fare Zone Boundary
Oxford / City of Sheridan	2000	D  Line	Sheridan	No
Littleton/Downtown	2000	D  Line	Littleton	Yes
Littleton/Mineral	2000	D  Line	Littleton	Yes

FasTracks

The 2004 voter approved FasTracks plan will add 2.5 mi (4.02 km) to the Southwest Corridor (C Line and D Line). It will also add a station with 1,000 parking spots at C-470 and Lucent Boulevard in Highlands Ranch. There may also be a station at C-470 and Santa Fe Boulevard. This extension may open as soon as 2017.^[2]

References