CENTRAL RAIL EXTENSION MOBILITY STUDY

PUBLIC MEETING #1

Study Purpose

Determine the best way to

provide a direct rail

transit trip between the

38th/Blake Station and

downtown Denver without

a transfer.

Ι Short term: establish a realistic

implementation plan to connect

with East Rail line as close to

opening day as possible

Ι Long term: establish a long-term

vision with the local community

for the entire Central Rail Line

and how it will ultimately

interface with downtown

Draft Goals

Draft Goals Key Considerations Identified by Project Oversight

Committee

A collaborative and

transparent process

• Close coordination among RTD, CCD, FPBA and DDP and other

stakeholder groups (such as the bike/ped community)

• Deep public education and engagement

• Developing project champions (e.g. possible federal support)

Improve overall transit

mobility

• 38th & Blake connection

• Integration with other LRT routes

• Provide access to underserved areas

• All modes should be considered

• Inclusion of Transportation Demand Management components

Create opportunities for

“place-making” and economic

development

• Encourage place-based economic development

• Improved connections (Convention Center, Civic Center, others)

• Interaction with Arapahoe Square

• Make Five Points a destination, not a pass-through

• Safety/Security (Welton, stations, traffic, rail, bike/ped, etc.)

• Economic/cultural impacts

• Adequate parking

Consistent and mutually-

beneficial connection to other

projects

• CCD coordination (including with NDNS)

• Revisit and enhance Downtown Area Plan

• Adopt a downtown transportation visioning/network approach

The FasTracks Program

Central Rail Extension History

1994 Central Rail opened:

Denver’s first light rail

line

2004

FasTracks approved by

voters: includes Central

Rail Extension

2014 North Metro contract

awarded: included

price to construct

Central Rail Extension

by 2018

2014 Current funding

projections show no

current money

available in the

FasTracks account and

that, without an

additional funding

source, construction

of the Central Rail

Extension is well into

the future

2013 Five Points Business

District Vision Plan

completed: indicated

preference for

streetcar & Welton to

2-way conversion

2011 Northeast Downtown

Neighborhoods Plan

adopted: introduced

concept of streetcar &

Welton 2-way

conversion

2013 Five Points Streetcar

Coordination Plan

completed: examined use of

streetcar on Welton

2010 Central Rail Extension

Environmental

Evaluation (EE)

adopted by RTD Board

EE defined alignment

& operating plan

2014 Central Rail Extension

Mobility Study

initiated: RTD to

revisit alignment &

operating plan from

2010 EE

2016 East Rail Line

opens

2000 2010

2010 Central Corridor Extension

Environmental Evaluation

Typical Section on Downing Street Preferred Alternative Key Features:

Ι Light rail operating like

a streetcar in shared

travel lanes on Downing

Street and 36th Avenue

Ι Two new stations at

Downing’s intersections

with 33rd and 35th

Avenues

Ι Used existing Central

Rail Line 30th & Downing

into downtown

Elements of the Alternatives

Alignments Vehicles Operations

Station

locations

Use of existing

tracks &

overhead

catenaries

Ridership

capacity

RTD system

integration

Use of

Downtown Loop

Light Rail

Modern

Streetcar

38th/Blake

Station

30th/Downing

Station

How to Provide a One-Seat Ride?

38th/Blake

Station

30th/Downing

Station

Ι No transfers after

leaving 38th/Blake

station until

reaching

downtown

Options for Serving Downtown

Ι Use existing downtown

LRT loop?

Ι Use a new alignment?

Ι What are traffic

impacts?

Ι How to handle future

capacity needs?

Ι What activity centers

to connect?

38th/Blake

Station

30th/Downing

Station

Other Key Issues

Ι Capital Cost

Ι Relationship to North Metro contract

assumptions

Ι Funding options to meet shortfalls

Ι Timing

Ι LRT/Streetcar issues

LRT and Streetcar Features

Light Rail (assumed on CRE in

FasTracks)

Modern

Streetcar

Vehicles Consistent with vehicles in RTD

transit fleet

Would introduce new vehicle to RTD

transit fleet

Larger profile vehicles Smaller/lower profile vehicles

Lanes Typically does not share lanes with

traffic

Can share lanes with traffic

Boarding Requires step-up to board and high

blocks at stations

Low-floor boarding

Costs More costly and extensive station

infrastructure

Less costly and less extensive station

infrastructure

Generally higher per-mile

construction cost

Generally lower per-mile construction

cost

Slightly higher per-vehicle cost Slightly lower per-vehicle cost

Maintenance

Facility

Can use existing maintenance

facility

Would require new maintenance

facility

Initial

Alternatives

Alternatives

Evaluation &

Preferred Alt.

Refinement of

Preferred

Alternative

Final Review &

Path Forward

Study Kickoff

Data Collection

Development of

Initial

Alternatives

Development &

Evaluation of

Conceptual

Alternatives

Recommendation

on Preferred

Alternative

Refinement of

Preferred Alt. Mapping

Utilities

Cost

Operations

Implementation

Plan

Maintenance

Facility

Final Review by

Public,

Stakeholders,

Decision-Makers

Agreement on Path

Forward

Public

Meeting #1

Public

Meeting #3

Policy oversight committee

Task force/public review

Community leader contacts

Stakeholder briefings

Coordination with Northeast Downtown Next Steps Study

www.rtd-fastracks.com and click on Central Rail Extension

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JAN-FEB

2014

MARCH-MAY

2014

MAY-JULY

2014

JULY-SEPT

2014

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Study Schedule & Next Steps

Public

Meeting #2

Questions?