Quote:
Originally Posted by The Dirt
Yes to all of those. However, you're making quite a leap from "it could be better" to "there is a mass conspiracy by 'monied interests' and 'shadowy deal-makers' to keep DUS from becoming better". If you're going to be making outrageous claims then the burden of proof is on you. You've so far been unable to prove any kind of mass subterfuge. In fact, this completely undermines your overall argument that DUS could and should be better. That is an appropriate argument, and one that I can be behind. However, your melodramatic conspiracy rants are akin to saying "the sky is blue... because the government is trying to hide the enormous alien spaceship that's in orbit".
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Let's look at it another way- given that you and others understand good rail design then you would agree:
A) Through tracks are better than stub tracks.
B) For access, platform to platform boarding on through tracks is best, followed by stacked through tracks, followed by through tracks and one branch with snub tracked platforms platform to platform, etc.
C) That the reverse S design of two stub rail stations, each about 800 feet apart, makes through connections worse than B.
D) That prior to the property plat lay out, that the rail yard was an empty slate, that through north south traffic had been routine at DUS, and, setting up through north south traffic at DUS prior to late 1998 when the Pepsi Center had ground breaking, would have been easy (passenger trains did this routinely up until the late 1960s.
E) That both alternatives- the alternative for light rail to be buried where the bus station is now nearing completion, and, the bus station alternative were announced after the property was divided up and sold.
F) That Mr. A owned controlling interest in the Rio Grand Rail yard, and, had the through tracks moved to where they are now in advance preparation for his Pepsi Center. Those that designed the new track layout, as well as those involved in the advanced leg work for Pepsi Center likely knew that traffic to the south of DUS would have to be blocked so that the right of way would not intrude on parking to be built on the yet to be constructed Auraria Parkway.
G) That the rail yard was sold, or the options to buy set, by Mr. A, et all, directly or indirectly, in pieces, before the fall of 1998, and, that at that time, the property plats precluded any through heavy rail traffic at DUS, despite the timing of the sale of the DUS to RTD.
Sometime, get a sheet of paper, look at google maps for an old aerial picture of the rail yards, and, draw how you might bring in rail traffic from the south Joint line, the west Federal Center line, the north west lines to Golden and the Moffat route, the east lines along I-70, and, the north east line from Greeley....and realize how easy a world class rail road station interface would have been to build. Get a later aerial photo, after the older buildings at metro had been built, and, do the same thing. Easy as pie!
I would really not care if this kind of property speculation was done somewhere where cheap to develop right-of-way was not involved. I really don't care that the Stapleton Group lost to the DIA group and who paid whom for what, for example. The picking of the final route of E-470 (remember that?) from one of two alternatives does not interest me either.
My concern is when property speculation forces many billions in future remediation to correct right-of-way errors by eliminating possible alternatives in favor of short term gain. With the widening of I-25, the building of the triangle building between Wewatta and 16th Street, and buildings going up or planned between 18th St Chestnut Pl and 20th St, there will be no way to get access from the south without spending billions either constructing new rail line, moving freight traffic off the horrifically curved Joint line segment from Colfax to 20th St and sending the traffic south via new lines built out on the prairie, etc. Maybe a subway like line under Chestnut, may elevated lines through Commons Park West.. In any case, billions of additional dollars.
However this occurred, we are seeing a future debacle where untold billions of inflated dollars are going to have to be spent getting fast rail service in from the south side of DUS. Had future right-of-way (just two additional track widths been provided (even along the freight right-of-way that exists), this would not be a problem.
And, in my strong opinion, this mistake WILL be remediated.
Ok then, if not a conspiracy, then there was at least a group of people with a heap of short term greed that bought land or had the option to buy land plats that divided the rail yard to provided for maximum street frontage for future developers,before renewed design alternatives for the complex were made, following RTD's rail intuitive that was defeated in 1998.
Ok if not a conspiracy (a trite, over used word) a property developer cabal.
Now I will 'move on' when other mistakes are dealt with, such as DUS line/ W line interface, are dealt with. (The only change the RTD bureaucracy did in right-of-way was in response to CU med school, so, I suppose, that says change is possible.)
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