FasTracks will transform Denver Union Station (DUS) into a multi-model transportation hub. This $480 million+ DUS project is part of a larger, ~$6.8 billion transportation project called FasTracks. FasTracks will construct four new commuter rail lines (3-EMU; 1-DMU -- to use Silverliner V based train-sets), one new Light Rail Line (LRT), and extend three existing LRT lines. It will also include a 38-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. The BRT line will have exclusive ROW and operate much like a rail line would. All of this is to be completed by 2017 - making it the nations most ambitious transportation project in recent memory.
But of course, the center piece which everything feeds into, is Denver Union Station (DUS) in LoDo (Lower Downtown). DUS will consist of four main parts: Historical Denver Union Station, Commuter Rail Terminal, Regional Bus Terminal and Light Rail Terminal.
-The historical DUS building will serve as the gateway between the terminals and downtown. As well as serve as the main waiting area for longer duration transfer waits. The station will serve AmTrak, SkiTrain, Commercial buses and future inter-city rail in addition to the metro commuter rail, light rail and regional buses.
-The Commuter Rail Terminal (CRT) will consist of 8-platforms, directly behind the historic Union Station. It will be accessible directly from Union Station at-grade level, as well as have individual platform access from the subterranean Regional Bus Terminal (RBT), and access from an elevated pedestrian bridge which crosses the tracks. It will be served by a below-grade 18th Street Free Circulator Bus stop, as well as an at-grade 16th Street Free Mall Ride Bus stop. These are low flow, wide door buses designed for fast boarding. In other words, this terminal will have seamless and integrated access from in-front, behind, below, above, from the left and from the right of it.
-The Regional Bus Terminal (RBT) will be subterranean, below 17th Street Transportation plaza. This terminal will stretch from DUS and the CRT, down to the Light Rail Terminal (LRT). There will be 22-bus bays; 16-regional bus bays, 4-Circulator bus bays, 2-commercial bus bays (actually a transfer bus which will shuttle passengers to and from commercial bus stations such as Greyhound). Down the medium of this will be an enclosed/environmentally controlled pedestrian walkway, with small vendors, ample seats/waiting areas, skylights and digital display signs that display bus route/destinations and ETA, for each bus bay which will be accessible from the pedestrian corridor via automatic sliding doors.
-At the far end of the RBT is the Light Rail Terminal (LRT). The LRT will have a 2-track covered platform with direct, covered access to the below-grade pedestrian tunnel to access transfers to/from bus and/or commuter rail. There will also be a 16th Street Mall free mall shuttle bus covered platform stop here, as well as an 18th Street downtown circulator shuttle platform in the first subterranean bus bay. These shuttles will make for easy connections from LRT to the rest of Union Station and all of downtown Denver. There will also be room for a future third LRT platform for expanded service. This auxiliary space could also potentially be used for a separately proposed inter-city, Front Range Commuter High Speed Rail Service from Denver to Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Denver to Denver International Airport, Denver to Boulder-Fort Collins and from Denver west to Ski resorts.
By 2025, DUS could and likely will be processing more than 200,000 daily passenger boardings. Even if you consider that the average daily user would have two boardings at DUS per day/trip, that still means there would be upwards of 100,000 unique daily users. DUS will (and t some degree, already is) the unequivocal transportation epicenter for Denver's transit users.
Here is the the plan at 3% design phase. 30% design phase is expected in November 2008 and that is when construction will be underway:
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FasTracks: The Whole System
FasTracks is RTD's 12-year comprehensive plan to build and operate high-speed rail lines and expand and improve bus service and park-n-Rides throughout the region. FasTracks includes:
* 119 miles of new light rail and commuter rail
* 18 miles of bus rapid transit service
* 21,000 new parking spaces at rail and bus stations
* Expanded bus service in all areas
FasTracks provides many ways to ride a bus or train.
* Drive to a park-n-Ride and get on a bus or train
* Take a bus to a rail station
* Walk to a bus or rail station
* Ride your bike to transit stations and store your bike in lockers and racks or take it with you on buses and trains
