The
Regional Transportation District, or RTD, was organized in 1969 and is the regional authority operating public transit services in eight of the twelve counties in the
Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Areathumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the State of Colorado...
in
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. It may also be considered to be part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the “Centennial State”...
. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors. Directors are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district. Elections are staggered so that eight seats are open in one general election, seven in the next.
The
Regional Transportation District, or RTD, was organized in 1969 and is the regional authority operating public transit services in eight of the twelve counties in the
Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Areathumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the State of Colorado...
in
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. It may also be considered to be part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the “Centennial State”...
. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors. Directors are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district. Elections are staggered so that eight seats are open in one general election, seven in the next. The 2009 Board members are: Kent Bagley, District H; Barbara Brohl, District D; Noel Busck, District K; Juanita Chacon, District C; William M. Christopher, District J; Bruce Daly, District N; Bill James, District A; Lee Kemp, District I, Christopher Martinez, District B; William G. McMullen, District E; Jack O'Boyle, District G; Wally Pulliam, District L; John Tayer, District O and Tom Tobiassen, District F.
RTD currently operates a bus and light rail system that has a service area of 2,337 square miles. It employs 2,526 people and reported over 100 million boardings in calendar years 2007 and 2008 . It had a $372 million budget for the year of 2008 and a $382 million for 2009. Google has RTD schedules attached to its trip planner, and 3rd party mobile applications are now available for the
iPhoneThe iPhone is an Internet and multimedia enabled smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Because its minimal hardware interface lacks a physical keyboard, the multi-touch screen renders a virtual keyboard when necessary...
and other platforms.
RTD is working to deliver the voter-approved FasTracks rapid transit expansion that will add 122 miles of new commuter rail and light rail, 18 miles of bus rapid transit service, 21,000 new parking spaces at rail and bus stations, and enhance bus service for easy, convenient bus/rail connections across the eight-county district.
Timeline
- Pre-RTD: The principal provider of public transportation was the Denver Tramway Company, which served the City and County of Denver
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the state of Colorado, in the United States. Denver is a consolidated city-county located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
as well as older portions of ArvadaThe City of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson and Adams counties in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the U.S. State of Colorado. Olde Town Arvada is located northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of...
, AuroraAurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas Counties in Colorado. The city is the third most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 61st most populous city in the United States. The population was 276,393 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of...
, EnglewoodThe City of Englewood is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. As of 2007, the city is estimated to have a total population of 32,532. Englewood is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. Englewood is located in the South Platte River Valley east of the...
, GoldenThe historic City of Golden is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the eastern edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the...
, LakewoodLakewood is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Lakewood is the fourth most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 164th most populous city in the United States...
, WestminsterWestminster is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Westminster is a northwest suburb of Denver. The Westminster Municipal Center is located north-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city...
, and Wheat RidgeThe City of Wheat Ridge is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Wheat Ridge is a western suburb of Denver. The Wheat Ridge Municipal Center is only west-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver...
and smaller suburbs.
- 1969: RTD was created in the 47th session of the Colorado General Assembly to provide public transportation to five additional counties in the metropolitan area.
- 1969 - 1971: The Denver Tramway Company continues service under sponsorship of the City and County of Denver.
- October 1970: RTD found it needed to establish a Northern Operations Group (NOG) to provide service to Boulder
Boulder is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County, Colorado, in the United States. Boulder is the 11th most populous city in the state of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in 2008 the population of the city of Boulder was...
and LongmontLongmont is a Home Rule Municipality in Boulder and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Longmont is the 13th most populous city in the State of Colorado. The word "Longmont" comes from Longs Peak, a prominent mountain named for explorer Stephen H. Long that is clearly visible from...
. RTD acquired the privately owned Denver-Boulder Bus Company, which also ran airport buses.
- 1971: Denver Metro Transit took over the privately owned Denver Tramway Company. Denver Metro Transit was an entity created by the City and County of Denver. Suburban service only continued for those suburbs willing to contribute a subsidy.
- 1972: RTD created a plan for a personal rapid transit
Personal rapid transit , also called personal automated transport or podcar, is a public transportation concept that offers on-demand, non-stop transportation, using small, independent vehicles on a network of specially-built guideways...
(PRT) system in the area, and a transportation plan was completed—three years after the 1969 legislative mandate. This plan included 98 miles of PRT and extensive bus service throughout the areas served by RTD. Later that year, the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) selected RTD to develop PRT as a demonstration project.
- 1973: Residents voted for a sales tax of 1/2% over the six counties served by RTD for ten years; 20% of the funds would be used for expanded bus service and the other 80% were earmarked for PRT construction. The PRT project was eventually scrapped.
- July 1974: Denver Metro Transit became part of RTD.
- 1975-1977: RTD consolidated and expanded and improved service frequency. Service was expanded to routes that commercial carriers previously operated.
- 1978: Inflation caused RTD to implement a new fare structure.
- 1979: Federal approval was prepared for the 16th Street Mall
The 16th Street Mall is a pedestrian and transit mall in Denver, Colorado. The mall, 1.25 miles long, runs along 16th Street in downtown Denver, from Wewatta Street to the intersection of 16th Avenue and Broadway .-History:The 16th Street Mall opened in 1982, originally from Market Street to...
in downtown Denver, originally known as Transitway. The project allowed express bus productivity to double and was eventually intersected by RTD's first light rail line, the D LineThe D Line—also referred to as the Green Line, because green is the line's color on maps—is a light rail line which is part of the light rail system operated by the Regional Transportation District in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area in Colorado...
, at Stout and California streets.
- 1980: RTD reached a record number of weekday passengers, expanded the park-'n'-Ride system. It also acquired 216 new buses, 89 of which were articulated
Articulated buses , are articulated single-decker buses comprising two rigid parts linked together by a pivoting joint. This arrangement allows a longer legal length and thus a higher passenger capacity than rigid single decker buses, while still allowing the bus to be turned within the limitations...
. Construction began on the 16th Street Mall. Work was also completed to make RTD's service more accessible to elderly and handicapped people.
- September 1994: Downtown Express/High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes were opened to buses, and to carpools a year later.
- October 1994: RTD opened the Central Corridor light rail line, bringing rail transit back to the region.
- 2000: The Southwest Corridor light rail line opened.
- 2002: The Central Platte Valley spur of RTD's light rail service opened.
- April 2006: Unionized transit workers of the Amalgamated Transit Union went on strike for the first time in 24 years, citing increased health care costs, mandatory overtime, and disproportionate wage increases relative to upper management. Workers walked off the morning of April 3, shutting down the light rail system and decreasing bus service to about 45% of its normal routes, the remaining service being provided by existing RTD subcontractors Laidlaw, Connex, and First Transit. Laidlaw and Connex, whose workers are contracted rather than unionized, would take over many routes operated by RTD, albeit on a reduced schedule, while First Transit, whose workers are unionized, operated only its own routes due to its contract with its workers. A revised contract was approved by the union on April 7, and service resumed on April 10. The strike lasted a total of seven days, and although thousands of commuters were stranded by the strike, only above average backups were reported as customers made makeshift arrangements for commuting or waited out the strike for personal trips. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3666949
- November 17, 2006: The Southeast Corridor, a component of the T-REX transportation project, opened.
Downtown Express
This project added
HOVHOV may refer to:* High-occupancy vehicle lane* Ørsta-Volda Airport, Hovden in Hovden, Norway...
lanes to I-25 north of downtown Denver. It also added several dedicated slip ramps for RTD buses to access several Park-n-Ride stations directly from the highway. At the south end of the HOV lanes, buses had direct routes into Union Station or Market Street Station. The HOV lanes extended from I-25 to US-36, allowing regional and express routes running along US-36 to downtown Denver to bypass congestion around the Turnpike Tangle. This project was completed in September 1994.
In 2006, the Downtown Express was renovated to include a toll lane, thereby converting the HOV lanes into HOT lanes. This allows
SOVSOV is an acronym for several terms:*Schedule of Values, The Schedule of Values is a detailed statement furnished by a construction contractor, builder or others outlining the portions of the contract sum.*Symphony Orchestra Vorarlberg...
vehicles to pay a toll to use them. It was built to increase the overall usage and efficiency of the highway's HOV lanes. The project was completed on June 2, 2006.
Central Corridor
The Central Corridor, a 5.3 mile (8.5 km) light rail line, opened in October 1994. It was built along Welton Street, through the Five Points district along Stout Street and California Street, and following a railroad right-of-way from
Colfax AvenueColfax Avenue is the main street that runs east and west through the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area in Colorado. As U.S. Highway 40, it was one of two principal highways serving Denver before the Interstate Highway System was constructed. In the local street system, it lies 15 blocks north of the...
down to the intersection of
I-25Interstate 25 is an Interstate Highway in the western United States. Its odd number indicates that it is primarily a north-south highway...
and Broadway. This line was built without the aid of tax increases or federal funds; however, extensions have been funded by the
Federal Transit AdministrationThe Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
and new tax measures. This line was built from
30th/Downing30th/Downing is a station on RTD's light rail system. It is the current northern terminus for Five Points trains. Currently there is only one track on Welton Street for light rail trains, necessitating track sharing for trains in both directions between here and 20th/Welton...
as the northern terminus to
I-25/BroadwayI-25/Broadway Station is a light rail station in the RTD Light rail system of Denver, Colorado. As the name implies, the station is located at the interchange between Interstate 25 and Broadway in south-central Denver. It is a three-platform station...
as the southern terminus.
Southwest Corridor
After the success of the Central Corridor, the Southwest Corridor light rail route opened in July 2000. An 8.7 mile (13.9 km)
light railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line, the route runs from the terminus of the Central Corridor at I-25 & Broadway to Mineral Avenue in Littleton with 5 existing stations. The line has been popular, and the park-n-Ride lots at its stations often experience parking shortages. This project built a light rail line from
I-25/BroadwayI-25/Broadway Station is a light rail station in the RTD Light rail system of Denver, Colorado. As the name implies, the station is located at the interchange between Interstate 25 and Broadway in south-central Denver. It is a three-platform station...
south to
Littleton/MineralLittleton/Mineral is a station on RTD's light rail system. Currently this station is the terminus of the Southwest Corridor. However, RTD plans to extend this line south into the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch.
...
along an existing railroad right-of-way next to Santa Fe Drive.
Central Platte Valley Corridor
In April 2002, the Central Platte Valley (CPV) spur opened. It is a 1.8-mile (2.9-km) branch with four stations that provides light rail access to numerous venues, including the
Auraria CampusAuraria Campus is an educational facility located near downtown Denver, Colorado in the United States. The campus houses facilities of three separate universities and colleges: the University of Colorado Denver , Community College of Denver, and Metropolitan State College of Denver...
,
Invesco Field at Mile HighInvesco Field at Mile High is a stadium in Denver, Colorado. Invesco Field at Mile High replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium in 2001...
, the
Pepsi CenterPepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...
,
Six FlagsSix Flags, Inc. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the 4th most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 21 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family entertainment centers...
,
Union StationDenver, CO 80202 | line=Amtrak:RTD: | other=Thruway Motorcoach - D&RGW Ski Train - Regional highway coaches for Boulder County points - other express and local bus routes | platform= | tracks= | parking= | bicycle= | passengers=129,773 | pass_year=FY2008...
and
Coors FieldCoors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
. This project built light rail lines from
10th/Osage10th/Osage is a light rail station in the RTD light rail system of Denver, Colorado. It serves a mostly residential neighborhood. It is the northernmost station served by all trains that pass through I-25/Broadway....
to Union Station.
T-REX Project
In November 1999, Denver area voters approved a project, known as the
T-REXThe Transportation Expansion Project or T-REX was a $1.67 billion venture that had a goal of transforming the way people in the metro Denver area commute within the areas of Interstates 25 and 225, then the Country's 14th busiest intersection...
, which involved reconstruction of
I-25Interstate 25 is an Interstate Highway in the western United States. Its odd number indicates that it is primarily a north-south highway...
between Broadway and Lincoln Avenue in
Lone TreeLone Tree is a Home Rule Municipality in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 4,873 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lone Tree is located at . It is on the northern border of Douglas County, and directly adjacent to Arapahoe County...
, and I-225 between I-25 and Parker Road in
AuroraAurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas Counties in Colorado. The city is the third most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 61st most populous city in the United States. The population was 276,393 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of...
, with widening of the road to 5 lanes and light rail being built. The highway project was completed on August 22, 2006. The light rail line known as the Southeast Corridor opened shortly after 11 AM on November 17, 2006. The line covers 19.1 miles (30.6 km) and includes thirteen new stations, with parking available at all but the
Louisiana/PearlLouisiana/Pearl is a light rail station on RTD's system in Denver, Colorado. It primarily serves the Washington Park and Platte Park neighborhoods. There is no parking lot at this station. The station is located beneath street level adjacent to the west side of I-25. To board a train at this...
station.
Projects under development
FasTracksFasTracks is a twelve-year, $6.2 billion public transportation expansion plan for the Denver-Aurora and Boulder metropolitan areas in Colorado, USA, developed by the Regional Transportation District...
: A major project to dramatically expand the metro area's rail service. The less densely populated north metro area will receive two commuter rail lines, while the west metro will receive a light rail line and a commuter rail line. In addition, a commuter rail line will connect
Denver International AirportDenver International Airport , often called DIA, is, by land size at , the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montreal-Mirabel International Airport...
to downtown. Union Station will be redeveloped into the hub of the rail network, with a large mixed-use transit-oriented development built around it. Several existing lines will be extended. This project is scheduled to be completed in 2017.
External links