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Light rail platform expansion planned
By Tom Munds
The Regional Transportation District’s schedule calls for construction crews to begin expansion of Southwest Corridor Light Rail platforms within the next 60 days.
The Southwest Corridor platforms can serve up to three-car trains. The expansion will make it possible to use four-car trains on the line.
Train sizes vary according to historic passenger demand. During times of low ridership, one -or two-car trains run on the system.
The biggest passenger demand comes during commuter rush hours and during special events like Broncos games, Rockies games and special celebrations in downtown Denver. During those times, three-car trains are used and often the trains are at capacity and passengers have to wait for the next train. The Southwest Corridor platform expansion will allow the use of four-car trains on the system to help ease crowding during peak ridership times.
RTD’s Southwest Corridor opened in July 2000 and runs parallel to South Santa Fe Drive from Interstate 25 and Broadway to West Mineral Avenue in Littleton. The stops on the line are at Evans Avenue, CityCenter Englewood, Oxford Avenue, downtown Littleton and West Mineral Avenue.
The cost of the platform expansion is about $500,000 per station. The platform expansion was included in the FasTracks program and part of the money for the expansion is part of this year’s FasTracks budget. Additional money from the federal stimulus program will also be used on the project.
FasTracks is RTD’s plans to expand mass transit in the metro area and projects include additional light rail corridors, expansion of two existing corridors and addition of commuter rail lines as well as expansion and improvement of bus services.
“Expansion of the Southwest Corridor platforms will complete the project and enable use of four-car trains on RTD’s light rail system,” said Pauletta Tonilas, spokeswoman for the FasTracks program. “Passengers will see the expansion work being done but there will be no interruption in service.”
A light rail car is 80 feet long with a driver’s compartment at each end. The car can seat 65 people and, during busy runs with passengers standing, can accommodate up to 125 people.
Tonilas explained the Southeast Corridor platforms were built to accommodate four-car trains during construction and the Central Corridor platforms were completed about 18 months ago.
The Southwest Corridor platforms can serve up to three-car trains. The expansion will make it possible to use four-car trains on the line.
Train sizes vary according to historic passenger demand. During times of low ridership, one -or two-car trains run on the system.
The biggest passenger demand comes during commuter rush hours and during special events like Broncos games, Rockies games and special celebrations in downtown Denver. During those times, three-car trains are used and often the trains are at capacity and passengers have to wait for the next train. The Southwest Corridor platform expansion will allow the use of four-car trains on the system to help ease crowding during peak ridership times.
RTD’s Southwest Corridor opened in July 2000 and runs parallel to South Santa Fe Drive from Interstate 25 and Broadway to West Mineral Avenue in Littleton. The stops on the line are at Evans Avenue, CityCenter Englewood, Oxford Avenue, downtown Littleton and West Mineral Avenue.
The cost of the platform expansion is about $500,000 per station. The platform expansion was included in the FasTracks program and part of the money for the expansion is part of this year’s FasTracks budget. Additional money from the federal stimulus program will also be used on the project.
FasTracks is RTD’s plans to expand mass transit in the metro area and projects include additional light rail corridors, expansion of two existing corridors and addition of commuter rail lines as well as expansion and improvement of bus services.
“Expansion of the Southwest Corridor platforms will complete the project and enable use of four-car trains on RTD’s light rail system,” said Pauletta Tonilas, spokeswoman for the FasTracks program. “Passengers will see the expansion work being done but there will be no interruption in service.”
A light rail car is 80 feet long with a driver’s compartment at each end. The car can seat 65 people and, during busy runs with passengers standing, can accommodate up to 125 people.
Tonilas explained the Southeast Corridor platforms were built to accommodate four-car trains during construction and the Central Corridor platforms were completed about 18 months ago.
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