RTD and Stakeholders Narrowing Focus on Solutions for Northwest Area

Image source: http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/nams_1

To better connect the eight-county District, voters approved of transit expansion program to build 122 miles of commuter rail and light rail, to add 18 miles of bus rapid transit service, to add 21,00 new parking spaces, to redevelop Denver Union Stations and to redirect bus service.

Regional Transportation District (RTD) and Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) as well as local jurisdictions have partnership to do a study.  The study is a response to the significant cost increases associated with building and operating commuter rail in the 41-mile Northwest corridor to meet the voters approved transit expansion.

The study, called the Northwest Area Mobility Study (MAMS) is a 13-month study that began in the spring of 2013 and is expected to be completed in early 2014. This study will be a high collaborative evaluation and consensus-building process to develop a prioritized list of agreed-upon mobility improvements that can be done in a cost-effective way.  The study covers five key areas: 

1) Phased Construction of Northwest Rail; 2) Feasibility of Extending North Metro Rail Line to Longmont; 3) US 36 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Commitments; 4) Feasibility of New Arterial BRT Lines; and 5) Analysis of the Reverse-Commute between Denver Union Station(DUS) and US 36

Any of the consensuses approved by RTD, CDOT and local jurisdictions as part of the outcome of the study will need to be approved by the RTD Board of Directors and if it involves adding or removing projects from the 2004 FASTrack program, it is possible a district-wide election will need to be held.