July 29, 2013 Welcome to Inside RTD FasTracks a monthly e- update to keep you informed about the progress of the Regional Transportation District's FasTracks program. FasTracks News RTD s Eagle P3 Transit Project Nears Halfway Mark to Opening Day EP3 will add three commuter rail lines to metro area in 2016 Photo: On left, work crews lay the first tracks of the East Rail Line. On right, Eagle P3 workers make progress on the three- pronged rail line construction project. The FasTracks Eagle P3 (EP3) project will reach the halfway to completion milestone in August. RTD will hold a Halfway to Opening Day event at 10 a.m. on Aug. 22. EP3 includes the East Rail Line to Denver International Airport, the Gold Line to Arvada and Wheat Ridge, and the first segment of the Northwest Rail Line to Westminster. When the rail lines open in 2016, all three will offer regional service on electric commuter rail cars designed to travel at higher speeds, at greater distances and with fewer stops than light rail trains. In another milestone, the first tracks were set on the East Rail Line on June 17. Read more about the laying of track on the East Rail Line.
Union Station Bus Complex Opening May 9, 2014 New facility will replace RTD s Market Street Station Photos: At left, landscaping is going in outside one of two Union Station passenger pavilions. At right, construction continues on the station s new underground bus bay. RTD s new 22- bay bus station will debut May 9, 2014, at Denver Union Station. Union Station is undergoing a major renovation as part of the FasTracks program, which will turn the site into a multimodal hub and transit- oriented development. The new underground bus facility will replace lower downtown Denver s Market Street Station, which will close permanently after 30 years when the new bus complex opens. Read more about the new bus complex. BRT Vehicle Displayed Roaring Fork Transportation Authority bus gives commuters look at a type of BRT vehicle The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) provided RTD with an example of a bus rapid transit vehicle for the public to see. The BRT bus (at left) was on display in downtown Denver and Boulder and at the Westminster and Broomfield Park- n- Rides, July 23-24. The 40- foot bus is a low- floor vehicle that uses compressed natural gas and is part of the fleet RFTA will use in its BRT service between Aspen/Snowmass and Glenwood Springs starting in September. The bus was on display as part of RTD s ongoing public education on BRT service on U.S. 36, which will begin in 2016.
Survey: FasTracks a Good Idea Say Denver- Area Residents 800 survey respondents cite job creation, reduction of air pollution and traffic among benefits Transportation improvement and the reduction of traffic congestion and air pollution are the main reasons 85 percent of Denver- area residents believe RTD s FasTracks transit program was a good decision, according to the key findings of the 2013 FasTracks Public Opinion Survey. More than 800 residents living in RTD s eight- county district responded to the survey. Read more about the survey. RTD FasTracks Pre- Proposal Briefing Draws Contractors Meeting is first step of process to build North Metro Rail Line Dozens of licensed contractors attended a July 8 pre- proposal meeting to learn more about the North Metro Rail Line project. RTD issued a request for proposals (RFP) to design and build out the line to at least 72nd Avenue with options to build farther. Proposals are due Sept. 23. Award of the construction project will be based on best value, with an emphasis on creativity, innovation and financial capacity. Read more about the pre- bid process. Photo: RTD contract negotiator Bob Brown speaks to a crowd of people who attended to learn more about the bidding process for the construction of the North Metro Rail Line. Public Learns About Proposed East Rail Line Station Green Valley Ranch meeting draws 60 people An additional station is being proposed for the East Rail Line, a 22.8- mile commuter rail line that will travel between Union Station and Denver International Airport starting in 2016. The City and County of Denver and DIA are proposing construction of the Aviation Station at 61st Avenue and Peña Boulevard (see map). If approved, the project would be funded by third parties and not RTD. The public is encouraged to weigh in on the proposal. The 30- day comment period will
last through Aug. 18. Read more about the proposal. RTD s WIN Program Continues to Make a Difference Seven cohorts have been through program to help job seekers RTD s Workforce Initiative Now, or WIN program, is halfway through the year, but already the work- training program has had 151 participants to date. That includes 112 workers who already have been trained and placed in jobs. Currently, WIN is recruiting for 12 open job- training positions. Over the past two weeks, the WIN office has posted on average three to four new positions daily through FasTracks and mixed- use development projects. WIN is a collaborative partnership among RTD, the Community College of Denver, Denver Transit Partners and the Urban League of Metropolitan Denver. The program helps job seekers, companies and local communities through the creation of career opportunities in the transportation and construction industries. Read more about the WIN program. I- 225 Project Team Evaluating Realignment Impacts Following Board Decision Light rail project is at 40 percent completion in design process The FasTracks I- 225 Light Rail project has advanced to 40 percent of completion in the overall design of the project. Once completed, the 10.5- mile rail line will provide regional connections to the East Rail Line to Denver International Airport and to the metro area s southeast light rail lines. Passengers will have access to some of Aurora s most important hubs, including the Anschutz Medical Campus and the planned Veterans Administration Hospital, which will serve 60,000 military veterans and their families. Recently, the RTD Board approved a request by University of Colorado officials to move the line and the Montview Station to Fitzsimons Parkway. Read more about the realignment and get the latest news about the I- 225 Rail Line project. Project Updates Read the latest news and project updates related to each of the RTD FasTracks rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) lines: Central Rail Extension Denver Union Station Downtown Denver Circulator Eagle P3 Project East Rail Line Gold Line I- 225 Rail Line Maintenance Facilities North Metro Rail Line
Northwest Rail Line Northwest Area Mobility Study Southeast Rail Extension Southwest Rail Extension U.S. 36 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) FasTracks Feature FUN FACT: The U.S. 36 Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, is part of FasTracks, the RTD transit expansion program passed by Denver- area voters in 2004. RTD is collaborating with the Colorado Department of Transportation to build an express bus lane in either direction of U.S. 36, from Federal Boulevard to Table Mesa, for BRT. The new service will feature buses that run more frequently, make fewer stops, offer bus stations with more amenities and provide reliable service. According to the 2012 U.S. 36 Mobility Report, there were nearly 3.1 million trips taken on RTD routes along U.S. 36 last year. Read more about BRT. RTD Board Meetings The RTD Board holds meetings most Tuesdays. Learn more Calendar of Events For a complete listing of upcoming events and activities, please click here. Now Presenting To schedule a FasTracks presentation for your group or organization, please contact the FasTracks Public Information Team today at 303-299- 6990. FasTracks is RTD's voter- approved transit expansion program to build 122 miles of commuter rail and light rail, 18 miles of bus rapid transit service, add 21,000 new parking spaces, redevelop Denver Union Station and redirect bus service to better connect the eight- county District. For more information about FasTracks, visit www.rtd- fastracks.com. Unsubscribe