Omaha Forums

Denver is about to announce (31st) that they have recieved a $1B  :shock: grant to aid in construction of the next phase in RTD's Fast Tracks program. This phase is the East Corridor commuter rail line from Union Station downtown to DIA and also the Gold Line commuter rail from Union Station to Arvada/Wheat Ridge. The Fast Tracks program is the largest public transportation project under construction in the US.

Link to RTD's page detailing the East Corridor.
http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/ec_1

RTD page for the Gold Line.
http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/gl_1

Article about the grant.
http://www.aurorasentinel.com/email_pus ... 002e0.html

Wow!  Good for Denver.  It would be nice if they could slide a little our way to get a measly streetcar starter line going  :;):.

Love that they are going to get their airport connected to downtown.  It sounds like this will give them around 45 miles of light rail total...awesome.

Well, Omaha shows a little interest in investing some of our own money in streetcars, I don't think we should expect the Feds to hand us anything, especially when there are so many other cities that have an actual focus and interest in it.

That is badass.

Looks like Denver's $500 million Union Station project is now complete. I can't find a great picture to show just how cool the project is.

iamjacobm wrote:Looks like Denver's $500 million Union Station project is now complete.  I can't find a great picture to show just how cool the project is.

The1Wags posted some on his FB Page.

1.


2.


3.


I will see if he or Zephyr got any inside yet.

One of Zephyr's Construction Photos:

1.

Very good write up on Denver's light rail system and its impacts.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/ ... nate=false

How the $7.6 billion FasTracks project saved Denver from a dreaded fate locals call “Houstonization” is the story of regional cooperation that required the buy-in of businesspeople, elected officials, civil servants and environmentalists across a region the size of Delaware. Their ability to work collectively—and the public’s willingness to approve major taxpayer investments—has created a transit system that is already altering Denver’s perception of itself, turning an auto-centric city into a higher-density, tightly-integrated urban center that aims to outcompete the bigger, older coastal cities on the global stage.

I went to Denver for a Tech Conference this week and rode the "A" Line Rail from DIA to Union Station in downtown Denver on Sunday and back to DIA this morning - 35-40 minutes - $9 one way. I was impressed. Also stayed about 2 blocks from the 16th Street Mall so rode the Free MallRode bus from Union Station on Sunday and from Coors Field yesterday and to Union Station this morning to catch the rail to DIA. This morning the whole trip from the hotel at 14th and Glenarm to DIA took about approx an hour.


They have also opened a Free MetroRide bus line during rush hours (Monday - Friday, 6 - 9 a.m. and 3:30 - 6:30 p.m) just east of the 16th street for a faster connection to Union Station


From their website they have 3 more rail lines opening this year.

http://www.rtd-denver.com/Fastracks.shtml

Looking out to DIA Platform



Coming into DIA

I'm going there for UberConf in a few weeks. Wonder if I'll have time to check it out.

Coming into Union Station the train passes Coors Field

When we went to Denver 2 years ago, we took the light rail from out near the suburb of Morrison (where Red Rocks is located) to the Rockies' game downtown. It was great. We then traveled up and down 16th St on the free bus. Obviously Denver is much bigger than Omaha, but I think Omaha could learn a few things from them.

skinzfan23 wrote:When we went to Denver 2 years ago, we took the light rail from out near the suburb of Morrison (where Red Rocks is located) to the Rockies' game downtown. It was great. We then traveled up and down 16th St on the free bus. Obviously Denver is much bigger than Omaha, but I think Omaha could learn a few things from them.

Totally agree! I think if we had a light rail/street car from the airport to downtown, HDR would've picked another location downtown.

Opens April 26

The G line will bring faster, more frequent service to Denver, Arvada, and Wheat Ridge starting in 2019. The 11-mile commuter rail line will offer greater connections to more destinations than ever before while transporting passengers from Wheat Ridge to Union Station in 27 minutes. At Union Station, passengers can connect to the C, E and W light rail lines, the University of Colorado A Line to Denver International Airport, the B Line to Westminster, Local and Regional buses, the Free MallRide, and Free MetroRide.


http://www.rtd-denver.com/g-line.shtml? ... t=Takeover

Let's see if it opens.
It was supposed to open in October 2016.
The G line has 16 at-grade crossings!!!

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2019 9:32 am Let's see if it opens.
It was supposed to open in October 2016.
The G line has 16 at-grade crossings!!!

Lordy, you can see 3 at-grade crossings in that one photo.

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:12 am Lordy, you can see 3 at-grade crossings in that one photo.

At grade crossings aren't ideal, but when the cost of bridges is the difference between go, or no go, you go with at-grade crossings. Can't we pass some responsibility down to your every-day person to cross safely, or are we too far gone?

Busguy2010 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 1:01 am

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:12 am Lordy, you can see 3 at-grade crossings in that one photo.

At grade crossings aren't ideal, but when the cost of bridges is the difference between go, or no go, you go with at-grade crossings. Can't we pass some responsibility down to your every-day person to cross safely, or are we too far gone?

If nobody is killed in the first 5 years, I will buy you a beer.

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:07 am

Busguy2010 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 1:01 am

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:12 am Lordy, you can see 3 at-grade crossings in that one photo.

At grade crossings aren't ideal, but when the cost of bridges is the difference between go, or no go, you go with at-grade crossings. Can't we pass some responsibility down to your every-day person to cross safely, or are we too far gone?

If nobody is killed in the first 5 years, I will buy you a beer.

Just saying. You can't protect everybody from themselves and expect to make any progress. Obviously they weighed that risk and liked it.

2 deaths on the A line last week. Just sayin.

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 12:07 pm 2 deaths on the A line last week. Just sayin.

Both were pedestrians. One was not paying attention, the other was a suicide.

Padre wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 2:05 pm

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 12:07 pm 2 deaths on the A line last week. Just sayin.

Both were pedestrians. One was not paying attention, the other was a suicide.

so if the train wasn't there, at least one person might still be alive

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 4:24 pm

Padre wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 2:05 pm

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 12:07 pm 2 deaths on the A line last week. Just sayin.

Both were pedestrians. One was not paying attention, the other was a suicide.

so if the train wasn't there, at least one person might still be alive

or they might have been killed crossing the street -- I feel you are just trying to justify your view of grade crossings

Uffda wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2019 8:47 am

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 4:24 pm

Padre wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 2:05 pm

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 12:07 pm 2 deaths on the A line last week. Just sayin.

Both were pedestrians. One was not paying attention, the other was a suicide.

so if the train wasn't there, at least one person might still be alive

or they might have been killed crossing the street -- I feel you are just trying to justify your view of grade crossings

Of course I am. I can't believe they built so many.
I am 100% for public transport, but it's somewhat silly that it then causes deaths.

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2019 11:14 am

Uffda wrote: ↑Thu May 02, 2019 8:47 am

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 4:24 pm

Padre wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 2:05 pm

ScrattyB wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2019 12:07 pm 2 deaths on the A line last week. Just sayin.

Both were pedestrians. One was not paying attention, the other was a suicide.

so if the train wasn't there, at least one person might still be alive

or they might have been killed crossing the street -- I feel you are just trying to justify your view of grade crossings

Of course I am. I can't believe they built so many.
I am 100% for public transport, but it's somewhat silly that it then causes deaths.

um they didn't cause anything ---- the people walked in front of the trains.

Saving a handful of people from themselves at the detriment of the greater good is degenerative. I'm sorry, people who get hit by trains are people who get hit by trains, it is what it is.

Just an example, Melbourne is removing their at-grade crossings. Approx 4.6 billion USD for 25 of them, with a plan to remove a total of 75 by 2025.

https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media ... on-the-way

Another LRT death, but in Stapleton, not those new at-grade crossings.

https://kdvr.com/2019/08/14/pedestrian- ... stapleton/