Denver RTD FUTURE LINES

By Steve Bulota

The following proposed lines are part of a $4.3 billion package dubbed “FasTracks”.  It was approved by Denver area voters in November of 2004:

East Corridor “A” line   From Union Station, this diesel-electric commuter rail line will run east, following an existing rail corridor along I-70 past the former Stapleton Airport site to Peña Blvd., where it will turn north and run in the median of Peña Blvd. to Denver International Airport, a total distance of about 25 miles.  The existing D line will be extended north from its present terminus at 30^th Avenue to 40^th Avenue and 40^th Street to permit transfers to the North and East Corridors.  Streetcar service from the new terminus at 40^th Avenue to the Civic Center at Broadway and West Colfax Ave. via Welton Street, Broadway and Lincoln Street is being considered. 

US 36 Corridor “B” line    This 22.5-mile diesel-electric line will run from Union Station to the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, following an existing BNSF rail corridor for most of its route.  It will also run alongside US 36, the Denver-Boulder Turnpike, for part of the route.  10 stations are planned with the possibility of extending the line to Longmont along Route 119.  Estimated cost is $390 million.

I-225 Corridor  This 10.5-mile line is an extension of the Southeast Corridor spur along I-225.  From Parker Road, it will continue north in the median of I-225 to Exposition Ave., where it will turn eastward, leaving I-225, to serve Aurora Mall and the Aurora City Center.  It will then rejoin I-225 at approximately 1^st or 2^nd Ave. and run in the median until just north of E. Colfax Ave.  At that point, it will swing westward along Montview (20^th) Ave., then turn north at Peoria St., serving the Fitzsimmons biomedical complex before terminating at Smith Rd.  A transfer will be available to the East Corridor line to Denver International Airport (DIA).  Six stations are planned in all.   

West Corridor  From Union Station, this 11-mile, $440.9 million line will branch off from the existing Central Platte Valley Spur at 5^th Street and run west along an existing rail corridor, the former Associated Railroad and Denver Interurban Transit Line, parallel to 13^th Ave. Near Union Blvd. it will turn south and continue past 6^th Ave. to the Federal Center then turn north again to 6^th Ave. at Simms St.  It will then continue west along 6^th Ave. to the Jefferson County Courts and Administration Building.  Stations include Federal Blvd., Knox Court, Perry St., Sheridan Blvd., Lamar St., Wadsworth Blvd., Garrison St., Oak St. Federal Center, Red Rocks and Jefferson County.  An Environmental Impact Study was completed in 2003.  Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2008. 

Gold Line  From Union Station, this line will follow an existing BNSF rail corridor to Ward Road at I-70 in Arvada.  The estimated cost is $316 million. 

North Metro   This diesel-electric line will run from Union Station along an existing rail corridor to 168^th Avenue.  It would share the same tracks with the “A” line as far as 40^th Avenue and 40^th Street. 

Southwest Corridor extension   From the present terminus at Mineral Ave., this line will continue south to  C-470, then turn east along C-470 to Lucent Boulevard.  A new station at Bates Ave. in Englewood will also be added.  All older stations will be lengthened to accommodate four-car trains. 

Southeast Corridor extension From the present terminus at Lincoln Ave., this line will be extended an additional 2.3 miles into Douglas County to Lone Tree.