DENVER | Transportation Thread - Page 70

Octavian · #**1381** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 1:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

I've created a revised FasTracks graphical map that I'll be posting at DenverInfill one of these days.

Post here in the meantime.

bunt_q · #**1382** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 6:36 AM**

Excellent Ken, that'll be something to look forward to. Is RTD doing Fastracks marketing/PR in-house like they did on early corridors, or do they have a consultant I assume?

Snyder, that's not the one I was thinking of. It was a full-color one JChurch did, similar I assume to what Ken has, only older info. Was quite professional.

EngiNerd · #**1383** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 2:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowboy

If you are in-district, do you need a ticket displayed in your front window stating that you are in district, or do the RTD cops check each individual license plate number in every parking lot? Not that I care, as I never drive to the LT stations.

They just base it off of license plate. You can actually go to the RTD site and check if your plate number is in district or not.

Cirrus · #**1384** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 4:35 PM**

Here is JChurch's latest Denver map. IIRC there was a previous version.

Strange Meat · #**1385** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

To 16th and California you'll just have to go to Union Station and take the downtown circulator or walk. Ridiculous that the West Corridor couldn't be tied into the Central Corridor, but alas... To Littleton or Lincoln, yes, a transfer.

The north/east lines are all going to be a different technology (EMU) from the south/west lines (LRT), so definitely no through lines.

Right, that's what I was thinking, because the two lines, from Littleton and Lincoln, both split and go to each current downtown terminus (well, some go up Downing but you get what I'm saying). I'd have figured that at least the line to JeffCo, if not Ward Rd (assuming it's LRT and not the DMU or EMU) would have done the same thing.

Midnight Cowboy · #**1386** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

They just base it off of license plate. You can actually go to the RTD site and check if your plate number is in district or not.

So they pay someone to walk around a parking lot checking license plate numbers. Wow, that sounds unefficient. One would think that out of district commuters could get away with not paying parking fees pretty easily. If they were serious about enforcing these rules they should issues stickers, by request, to go on your windsheild.

Mulligan · #**1387** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnyderBock

Anyone have recent photos of the construction along the West Corridor?

The next transit post on DenverInfill will be with recent construction photos. I'm collecting them and should have something up this weekend/early next week.

pablosan · #**1388** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 9:08 PM**

^
Looking forward to seeing the progress of the West line.

SnyderBock · #**1389** Posted **Sep 14, 2010, 10:53 PM**

I'm looking forward to it too! Thanks

That's a very good looking transit map by JChurch. I think once FasTracks is built out, it will become evident (to the populous) of the essential need to bolster the Central Corridor operation by converting to a streetcar starter line and expanding it downtown to Union Station, Auraria Campus, down Colfax and possibly Cherry Creek and/or South Broadway. First thing is first, get FasTracks built.

The Dirt · #**1390** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 3:32 AM**

I'm surprised that there isn't a stop along Pena and Tower. It seems that a lot of the hotels along Tower would benefit from a stop.

wong21fr · #**1391** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 3:45 AM**

^I think that is one of the stops that would have to be financed by a private developer interested in developing the area. There is one other possible stop as well IIRC.

FrancoRey · #**1392** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 6:57 AM**

I still wish there was a way to get the Golden line to actual Old Town Golden. They could call it the Coors stop.

Maybe they can add it in ten years or so. Or even better, get a 1.5 mile streetcar/tram that runs from the Justice Center all the way to the creek downtown.

EngiNerd · #**1393** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 1:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dirt

I'm surprised that there isn't a stop along Pena and Tower. It seems that a lot of the hotels along Tower would benefit from a stop.

They all have shuttles to the airport currently, so I'm sure they wouldn't mind shuttling people to the train station as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancoRey

I still wish there was a way to get the Golden line to actual Old Town Golden. They could call it the Coors stop.

Maybe they can add it in ten years or so. Or even better, get a 1.5 mile streetcar/tram that runs from the Justice Center all the way to the creek downtown.

Seems like that would be a great option, having a streetcar/tram from the Taj Mahal to downtown Golden. I bet the businesses on Washington would love it too.

bunt_q · #**1394** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 2:41 PM**

Of all the 500 neat, walkable, and/or urban (or semi-urban) areas/neighborhoods/nodes/destinations in the metro area that are *not* going to directly served by fastracks and could benefit from a streetcar (or other decent mode) connection, downtown Golden has to be pretty low on my list... there's hardly anything there!

To name one...just because Boulder gets two lines instead of actually having to make hard choices and choose one, doesn't mean we don't still need to actually connect downtown Boulder into this stupid system we have. Not everybody wants to sit on a slow train for 45 minutes, only to transfer to the HOP... A Pearl streetcar, *maybe*...

wong21fr · #**1395** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 3:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Of all the 500 neat, walkable, and/or urban (or semi-urban) areas/neighborhoods/nodes/destinations in the metro area that are *not* going to directly served by fastracks and could benefit from a streetcar (or other decent mode) connection, downtown Golden has to be pretty low on my list... there's hardly anything there!

Well asides from a 5K University campus, two large manufacturing plants, and a series of walkable neighborhoods all within a 3/4-mile radius. I think that the way Golden is hemmed in by North and South Table Mesa's with a few large employers in such a small area it actually makes sense to extend one of the lines further into Golden. The Gold Line seems like the logical choice.

taylor23 · #**1396** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancoRey

I still wish there was a way to get the Golden line to actual Old Town Golden. They could call it the Coors stop.

Maybe they can add it in ten years or so. Or even better, get a 1.5 mile streetcar/tram that runs from the Justice Center all the way to the creek downtown.

I believe RTD acquired right of way rights for the Gold line all the way into Golden. If it is the same rail line that goes to Coors then I imagine that line cold be extended in the future to service down town Golden and the School of Mines.

bunt_q · #**1397** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 8:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Well asides from a 5K University campus, two large manufacturing plants, and a series of walkable neighborhoods all within a 3/4-mile radius. I think that the way Golden is hemmed in by North and South Table Mesa's with a few large employers in such a small area it actually makes sense to extend one of the lines further into Golden. The Gold Line seems like the logical choice.

Well if you take Coors out of the equation (I doubt it would generate much ridership - especially if it was dependent on a downtown station and not its own - it's too far)... You're really talking about serving a small touristey "downtown." Those neighborhoods aren't all that walkable (we drove to Safeway when I lived in the dorms at Mines). And the school is negligible. And not only because I don't think that's a terribly transit friendly population (which it isn't

)... but <5k? Come on. Why don't we run a streetcar to Cherry Creek High School then? It's about the same size, and we'd hit more of the Tech Center along the way! I'd bet the ridership-per-dollar and raw ridership for my "Bruins Line" would beat the Taj Mahal line/extension.

wong21fr · #**1398** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 8:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Well if you take Coors out of the equation (I doubt it would generate much ridership - especially if it was dependent on a downtown station and not its own - it's too far)... You're really talking about serving a small touristey "downtown." Those neighborhoods aren't all that walkable (we drove to Safeway when I lived in the dorms at Mines). And the school is negligible. And not only because I don't think that's a terribly transit friendly population (which it isn't

)... but <5k? Come on. Why don't we run a streetcar to Cherry Creek High School then? It's about the same size, and we'd hit more of the Tech Center along the way! I'd bet the ridership-per-dollar and raw ridership for my "Bruins Line" would beat the Taj Mahal line/extension.

I don't know, have you been to Golden recently? I was pretty shocked heading down Ford Street seeing the infill that has popped up. Ten years ago I'd agree with you, but after the last decade? I've got a feeling that it would work. Not an extension of the West Corridor, but an extension of the Gold Line with a station somewhere near 10th & Ford.

SnyderBock · #**1399** Posted **Sep 15, 2010, 10:51 PM**

I remember the original plans indicating that both the West Corridor LRT and the Gold Line EMU can eventually be extended into Golden, if warranted and funded. I think the Gold line was viewed as the most likely to be extended to Golden, but both can be.

bunt_q · #**1400** Posted **Sep 16, 2010, 12:49 AM**

I think the Gold line was the one originally envisioned yes, but that was before the west corridor was extended to the taj mahal (was thought at that time to end at cold spring). The west corridor is so much closer now, although that rail ROW for the beer train might be too good to pass up. Of course, then we all know what'll happen. In typical RTD fashion, the line will end where the easy ROW ends, and we'll get a park-n-ride near coors, 1-2 miles outside of downtown golden. Sigh.