Regional Transportation District

For the RTD that operated in Los Angeles, see Southern California Rapid Transit District.
Regional Transportation District
Overview
Locale Denver Metro Area, Colorado
Transit type Bus and light rail
Number of lines 138
Daily ridership 344,381 weekday boardings (2014)[1]
Chief executive Dave Genova[2]
Headquarters 1600 Blake Street
Denver, CO 80202
Website rtd-denver.com
Operation
Began operation 1972
Operator(s) Regional Transportation District

The Regional Transportation District, or commonly RTD, was organized in 1969 and is the regional authority operating public transit services in eight of the twelve counties in the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area in Colorado. It operates over a 2,340-square-mile (6,100 km2) area, serving 2.87 million people. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors. Directors are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district of about 180,000 constituents.[1]

RTD currently operates a bus and light rail system that has a service area of 2,337 square miles (6,050 km2). It employed 2,664 people and reported 105 million boardings in 2014.[1] It had a $460.2 million operating for the year of 2014. Google has RTD schedules attached to its trip planner, and 3rd party mobile applications are now available for the iPhone and other platforms.

RTD is constructing the voter-approved FasTracks transit expansion that will add 122 miles (196 km) of new commuter rail and light rail, 18 miles (29 km) of bus rapid transit service, 21,000 new parking spaces at rail and bus stations, and enhance bus service across the eight-county district.

Timeline

RTD Line D train in downtown Denver
Free MallRide bus at Civic Center Station

Fleet

Gillig and Orion buses make up most of the fleet. In 2014, RTD began to receive New Flyer low floor buses for the free MetroRide and other routes.[6] MCI and Neoplan vehicles are used as express buses and regional buses. Siemens SD100 and SD160 are used as light rail vehicles. As of May 2015, the RTD light rail fleet had 172 light rail vehicles, serving 48 miles (77 km) of track and 46 stations.[1] For RTD's new commuter rail system, Silverliner V's will be used.

Fares

The current RTD fare structure is based on a zone system, with different structures for light rail and buses. Local/Limited routes or a 1–2 zone trip on light rail costs $2.25, Express routes or traveling 3 zones on light rail costs $4.00, and Regional routes or traveling 4 zones on light rail costs $5.00.[7] SkyRide buses to Denver International Airport charge more, ranging from $9 to $15. Seniors, students, people with disabilities, and Medicare recipients are eligible for reduced fares.

Alongside the completion of FasTracks in 2016, a revamped fare system will be introduced. Under the proposal, there will be a new day pass option, allowing riders to take multiple trips at twice the cost of a one-way ticket.[8] Bus routes would be designated as either Local or Regional, and light rail fare zones would be pared down to three. However, the base fare one-way fare would rise by 15% to $2.60, attracting criticism as disproportionately affecting low-income residents.[9]

A fare card known as Smart Card is being implemented. The card, in development for over four years by Xerox, is currently only available through employers as the EcoPass and colleges as the CollegePass.[10][8] Users of the card receive a discount on fares compared to normal prices.

Projects

Past projects

Downtown Express

Waiting for Express bus from Countryside subdivision.

This project added HOV lanes to I-25 north of downtown Denver. It also added several dedicated slip ramps for RTD buses to access several Park-n-Ride stations directly from the highway. At the south end of the HOV lanes, buses had direct routes into Union Station or Market Street Station. The HOV lanes extended from I-25 to US 36, allowing regional and express routes running along US 36 to downtown Denver to bypass congestion around the Turnpike Tangle. This project was completed in September 1994.

In 2006, the Downtown Express was renovated to include a toll lane, thereby converting the HOV lanes into high-occupancy toll lanes. This allows single-occupancy vehicles to pay a toll to use them. It was built to increase the overall usage and efficiency of the highway's HOV lanes. The project was completed on June 2, 2006.

I-25 & Broadway light rail station

Central Corridor

The Central Corridor, a 5.3-mile (8.5 km) light rail line, opened in October 1994. It was built along Welton Street, through the Five Points district along Stout Street and California Street, and following a railroad right-of-way from Colfax Avenue down to the intersection of I-25 and Broadway. This line was built without the aid of tax increases or federal funds; however, extensions have been funded by the Federal Transit Administration and new tax measures. This line was built from 30th/Downing as the northern terminus to I-25/Broadway as the southern terminus.

Southwest Corridor

After the success of the Central Corridor, the Southwest Corridor light rail route opened in July 2000. An 8.7-mile (14.0 km) light rail line, the route runs from the terminus of the Central Corridor at I-25 & Broadway to Mineral Avenue in Littleton with five existing stations. The line has been popular, and the park-n-Ride lots at its stations often experience parking shortages. This project built a light rail line from I-25/Broadway south to Littleton/Mineral alongside existing freight tracks used by BNSF next to Santa Fe Drive.

Central Platte Valley Corridor

Light rail near Union Station

In April 2002, the Central Platte Valley (CPV) spur opened. It is a 1.8-mile (2.9 km) branch with four stations that provides light rail access to numerous venues, including the Auraria Campus, Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Pepsi Center, Elitch Gardens, Union Station and Coors Field. This project built light rail lines from 10th/Osage to Union Station.

University Station (Univ. of Denver)

T-REX Project

Louisiana-Pearl light rail station

In November 1999, Denver area voters approved a project, known as the T-REX, which involved reconstruction of I-25 between Broadway and Lincoln Avenue in Lone Tree, and I-225 between I-25 and Parker Road in Aurora, with widening of the road to five lanes and light rail being built. The highway project was completed on August 22, 2006. The light rail line, known as the Southeast Corridor, opened shortly after 11 a.m. on November 17, 2006. The line covers 19.1 miles (30.7 km) and includes thirteen new stations, with parking available at all but the Louisiana/Pearl station.

West Rail Line

The West Rail Line opened on April 26, 2013. It was the first completed rail line of the RTD FasTracks Project. The 12.1 miles (19.5 km) of light rail run between Denver Union Station and Jefferson County Government/Golden Station, adding 11 new stations, 6 park-n-rides, and 3 new call-n-rides.[11]

Projects under development

FasTracks is a major project to dramatically expand the metro area's rail service. The less densely populated north metro area will receive two commuter rail lines, while the west metro will receive a light rail line and a commuter rail line. In addition, a commuter rail line will connect Denver International Airport to downtown. Union Station is being redeveloped into the hub of the rail network, with a large mixed-use transit-oriented development being built on the surrounding properties (many of which previously sat vacant for years). In addition to renovations to the historic station, the majority of the surrounding property is also being developed into apartment and office buildings, nearly all of which will also feature retail space.

RTD completed the Union Station bus pavilion, the launch of the free MetroRide, and the closure of Market Street Station on May 11, 2014. A redeveloped Union Station building also officially opened to the public on July 26, 2014, and is now home to several restaurants/bars/cafes, retail shops and the boutique Crawford Hotel. The historic building sits directly adjacent to the southeast end of RTD's underground bus concourse and the above-ground Train Hall. The Train Hall is currently home to the twice-daily Amtrak service, and will eventually also serve as the terminal to RTD's Commuter Rail lines when they come online. The building was developed to complement the transit portions of Union Station as a transportation hub by providing a commercial center to cater to transiting passengers as well as residents, workers and visitors in Downtown Denver.

Bus rapid transit on US 36, the first segment of the Northwest Rail Line, the East Rail Line, the Gold Line, and the I-225 Rail Line are all scheduled to open in 2016, while the first segment of the North Metro Rail Line is scheduled to open in 2018. The FasTracks project is scheduled to be completed in 2044.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Facts & Figures". RTD. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  2. "Interim General Manager". RTD. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  3. Shore, Sandy (April 3, 2006). "Transit strike begins". The Denver Post. The Associated Press. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  4. "Market Street Station Closed". RTD.
  5. "Denver's Union Station now open with free MetroRide service to Civic Center Station". 7NEWS.
  6. "New Flyer wins 5-year Denver RTD contract". metro-magazine.com.
  7. "Fares". Regional Transportation District. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  8. 1 2 Whaley, Monte (May 26, 2015). "RTD riders to see new fares, critics say poor will be stung the most". The Denver Post. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  9. Whaley, Monte (February 18, 2015). "Poor, homeless in Denver metro area sound off on RTD fares". The Denver Post. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  10. "Smart Card". Regional Transportation District. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  11. "West Rail Line Home". rtd-fastracks.com.
  12. Program Schedule: http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/main_31

External links

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