December 2014 Welcome to Inside FasTracks - - your monthly update about FasTracks news, progress and people FasTracks News I hear the train a- comin RTD s first electric commuter rail cars arrive in Denver New commuter rail cars are being shipped from the assembly plant in Philadelphia to Denver. The cars will be on public display at Union Station in December. The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is preparing to show off its newest rail cars the commuter rail vehicles that will run on four FasTracks rail lines currently under construction. RTD has purchased 66 vehicles to serve the East Rail Line to Denver International Airport, the Northwest Rail Line to Westminster, the Gold Line to Arvada/Wheat Ridge and the North Metro Rail Line to Thornton. The commuter rail cars are larger than light rail cars, travel at faster speeds and carry more people. They also have luggage space, bike racks and level boarding. Plan now to attend an open house at Union Station and be one of the first in town to experience these new rail cars:
Dec. 3-6 (Wednesday through Saturday) between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. If you re planning to attend the Parade of Lights, bring the family out a little early and tour the new rail cars. Read More: http://www.rtd- fastracks.com/ep3_115 Have your say during December public meetings Help RTD simplify its fare structure RTD and CH2M Hill, an independent evaluation team, have identified options to simplify the agency s current fare structure for bus and rail service. The next step is to present the options to the public and gather input, so between Dec. 3-11, a series of public meetings will be held throughout the metro area. In addition, the fare structure alternatives and a short video explaining the options will be posted on RTD s website with an option to provide public comments online. RTD staff will make a recommendation for a new fare structure to the RTD board in early 2015. The schedule of public meetings is as follows: LAKEWOOD: Dec. 3 at 6 p.m., Clements Community Center, 1580 Yarrow St. BOULDER: Dec. 4 at noon, Boulder City Council Chambers, 1777 Broadway St. THORNTON: Dec. 4 at 6 p.m., Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center, 11151 Colorado Blvd. AURORA: Dec. 10 at 6 p.m., Aurora Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway DENVER: Dec. 10 at noon, RTD Administrative Offices, 1600 Blake St., Rooms T & D LITTLETON: Dec. 11 at 6 p.m., Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura St. Read More: http://www.rtd- denver.com/fare- restructuring.shtml
CREWS TO LAY LAST MILE OF TRACK FOR EAST RAIL LINE RTD and Denver Transit Partners its contractor building the East Rail Line will commemorate the last mile of track laid on the East Line next week. A golden FastClip, or fastener (like those shown at right), will be installed on the track at the bottom of the I- 70 Flyover Bridge located west of Airport Boulevard on Smith Road. The FastClips attach the steel rail to the concrete railroad ties. When it opens in 2016, the East Rail line will be a 22.8- mile commuter rail line operating between Union Station and Denver International Airport. The rail line will connect these two important areas while serving adjacent employment centers, neighborhoods and developments in Denver and Aurora. The East Rail Line is being constructed as part of RTD's Eagle P3 Project, a public- private partnership also building the Gold Line to Arvada/Wheat Ridge and the Northwest Rail Line to Westminster. Read More: About the East Rail Line and the Eagle P3 Project http://www.rtd- fastracks.com/ec_1 UNION STATION BUS CONCOURSE GOOD AS GOLD
RTD has been awarded LEED Gold certification for the Union Station Bus Concourse, and the agency held a plaque dedication on Nov. 18 with its partners from the Denver Union Station Project Authority and the contractor Kiewit to recognize the achievement. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. RTD continues to be a leader in the transit industry less than a dozen transit centers in North American are LEED Certified, and the Union Station Bus Concourse is the second transit center in Colorado to receive the certification. Many elements and strategies went into achieving LEED Gold Certification for the bus concourse including: Recycling or salvaging 92 percent of all construction/demolition debris 27 percent of all building materials came from within 500 miles of the building site which reduced the use of fossil fuels during transportation. The concourse is a part of a multi- modal transportation hub that offers riders a variety of alternative transportation options. The final building design is 30 percent more energy- efficient than a building of comparable size. During construction, RTD reduced the use of raw materials by using 26 percent of all building materials from recycled content. The facility s water efficiency is improved by the use of low- flow appliances in the public restrooms, resulting in a 35 percent water- use reduction and 150,000 gallon potable water saving a year. Ventilation is increased by 30 percent through a state- of- the- art ventilation and air monitoring system. Plaques designating the bus concourse as a LEED Gold building will be installed at the entrances of the facility.
Wishing everyone safe travels this holiday season.
Progress Updates Central Rail Extension Denver Union Station Eagle P3 Project East Rail Line Free MetroRide Gold Line I- 225 Rail Line Maintenance Facilities North Metro Rail Line Northwest Rail Line Southeast Rail Extension Southwest Rail Extension U.S. 36 Bus Rapid Transit West Rail Line RTD Board Meetings The RTD Board holds regular meetings most Tuesdays. Learn more Calendar of Events For a complete listing of upcoming events and activities, click here. Now Presenting To schedule a FasTracks presentation for your group or organization, 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 s historic Union Station and redirect bus service to better connect the eight- county district. For more information about FasTracks, visit www.rtd- fastracks.com. Unsubscribe