Quote:
Originally Posted by SnyderBock
I could see that being a valid point against it. However, the trains never get up past 30 MPH between there and Union Station, so it would seem to invalidate that point. Perhaps the decision was made before they realized the trains would be traveling so slow through there?
I guess there is always the idea of eventually running the LRT streetcar back down from 38th station in to LoDo. I do think the Central corridor streetcar line should become the starter line for a small streetcar system serving downtown and immediate surrounding areas. Maybe back down through LoDo and over into Highlands. Then a spur down Broadway to Civic Center and on down to Broadway Station. Possibly one or two other short Spurs to City Park, and/or Auraria Campus. And probably down Spear to Cherry Creek. Then beyond this, several well branded and designed BRT corridors that run down major corridors in straight shots a little further out towards the city limits.
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I like the way you think - there's definitely nothing wrong with dreaming about a transit system that extends beyond the current planning maps. I also think that the L-Line/Central Corridor could be a great starter line for a small streetcar system. It seems like a no brainer to treat the intersection with Welton and Broadway as a three-way spur - build a two-way facility much like the Welton tracks down 19th to get within striking distance of Union Station, then another line down Broadway to either Speer or Alameda. Then get the L-line trains off of the Stout/California loop and reserve that capacity for the D/F/H light rail lines (iirc the downtown loop can't handle much more traffic). Speer is also an obvious route for a local tram, but with less obvious terminus points on either end (for example, is this an extension of the Broadway line, or something that continues north on Speer all the way to the Highlands or beyond?).
It has always struck me that the original Central Light Rail wasn't entirely sure if it was trying to be a commuter system or something more like a streetcar - south of Colfax it behaves like a commuter train, and north of Colfax more like a streetcar. The creation of the new L line, and the routing of most new LR routes into the hub at Union Station seems to suggest that it has shaken out as a commuter system and perhaps the original on-street infrastructure should be treated as a different (local) system. That said, the use of Stout/California as a terminus for the D/F/H lines still makes sense (a bit like how the Flatiron Flyer starts making more frequent local stops to serve the CU campus once on Broadway in Boulder).
I agree with your assessment that what is really lacking is a better form of local distribution for transit riders. For example, tonight I am planning to meet my family at Uchi for dinner, and was brainstorming a way for us all to meet in Arvada and ride the train. The trouble is, once we're at Union Station, it's a good 20-25 minute walk to 25th and Lawrence. By the time we get an Uber, we might as well have just driven to that part of Denver from Arvada. If there were decent service connecting Union Station to this part of town with local stops, this wouldn't be an issue. Perhaps the long-rumored Larimer Street tram from Auraria West all the way up to 38th and Blake could serve this purpose rather than adding extra stops on the A-Line?
The same goes for the part of town south of Colfax. My understanding is that the original LR project from Broadway and I-25 to downtown also looked at an alternative using Broadway itself. As far as I'm concerned, this would be a completely different (more streetcar-like) and complementary service, not a direct competitor to the commuter-line that was actually built.
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