DENVER | Transportation Thread

[TakeFive]

Priceless article written by John Young in the Summit Daily.

We’re talking about the fantasy that begat a sequel to “Back to the Future.” If you recall, the last lines in this first movie came from old Doc Brown, in his flying DeLorean, when he said, “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

Well, it’s 2015, the year in which “Back to the Future II” is set, and just ask the Republican Party: We don’t need roads. With flying cars and hover boards, roads are obsolete.

The infrastructure that affects us all — delivers our families and our goods, our ambulances, our school buses — truly is languishing. And it’s no mystery why spending per capita on infrastructure is at its lowest point since 1947, according to LaHood. As a percentage of income, federal revenue is at its lowest point since just about the same time — 1950, to be exact, back before Chuck Berry, man.

Yes, as Tax Day approaches, you’ll be told that an insatiable federal government takes more and more. In truth, that’s as far from reality as traffic lights in the sky.

[TakeFive]

For any who are interested there's a very readable article in USA Today of an overview of the current state of transportation funding efforts.

Congress should follow the lead of Georgia whose "no new taxes" crowd including the new governor after being elected raised the fuel taxes by $900 million annually just recently. Far as I've been able to discern there has been no blowback to the bill which passed easily. Essentially everybody knows the need.

[Cirrus]

A ton of states have passed big bipartisan transportation funding taxes, and I'm not aware of a significant taxpayer backlash in any of them.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

A ton of states have passed big bipartisan transportation funding taxes, and I'm not aware of a significant taxpayer backlash in any of them.

Too bad Colorado couldn't do that. God bless TABOR.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Too bad Colorado couldn't do that. God bless TABOR.

I would still contend that getting a bipartisan proposal done in the legislature for voter approval is easier than getting a bipartisan bill passed. Voters will approve that easily IMO.

What I don't know is if the current fuel tax is already set up as an enterprise fund for CDOT which would be outside the General Fund and TABOR, I believe.

[seventwenty]

470 completion proposal.

Originally Posted by The Denver Channel

There is a new effort in the decades-long dispute to complete the 470 loop around metro Denver, with the newly formed WestConnect Corridor Coalition.

A group of transportation stakeholders will meet Wednesday to discuss the future of the project.

The current plan is to expand Highway 93 through Golden, creating the Jefferson Parkway, eventually completing a beltway.

Jefferson County, Arvada, and Broomfield have all been on board, noting the potential economic benefits.

“One of the main things people look at is transportation – whether they can move their goods into and out of Jefferson County,” said Don Rosier, Jefferson County Commissioner.

Golden residents have long protested the build of a new highway through their city. They reached an agreement with C-DOT in 2013.

Rosier is now hoping the new coalition can get the plan back on track. It’s been in the works for two years now.

“We want to be sensitive of the individual needs of the overall community and it took that long to generate that trust and respect,” Rosier said.

They will start with a planning and environmental linkage study, funded by Jefferson County. Rosier said they will look likely look for private funding options to complete the western beltway, with an estimated cost of $900 million.

[TakeFive]

This is unbelievable - very impressive.

I was checking out the Lynx which is Charlotte's light rail. They have a 9.3 mile extension under construction to be finished in 2017 which will double their current 9.3 mile Lynx Blue Line. They will purchase an additional 22 vehicles for a total of 42. The project cost is $1.2 billion for a per mile cost of $129 million.

From the Fastracks Eagle P3 Fact Sheet we find:

The $2.2 billion project comprises the East Rail and Gold lines, the first segment of the Northwest Rail Line to Westminster, procurement of 54 commuter rail cars and a commuter rail maintenance facility, all scheduled for completion in 2016.

PROJECT FUNDING:
$2.2 billion, including $1.03 billion in federal funds and $450
million in private financing.

The East Line is listed as 22.8 miles, the Gold Line as 11.2 miles and the NW Line at 6.2 miles. The per mile cost of all that is about $55 million.

My first thought was that Charlotte should make for a good comparison with Denver. I'd suggest RTD has learned well from previous experience.

Perhaps the W Line would be a better comparison since it was light rail. It did have its challenges. The 12.1 mile line cost $707 million for a per mile cost of $58.5 million. Still a very favorable comparison.

P.S. It doesn't look like the Rockies will win 5 games in a row to start the season but they do have a very nice crowd tonight.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

A ton of states have passed big bipartisan transportation funding taxes, and I'm not aware of a significant taxpayer backlash in any of them.

Add the very red state of Idaho. According to an article in the Boise Weekly April 11th by Harrison Berry the Idaho legislature, in the shadow of midnight, passed a gas tax increase of 7 cents on top of the existing 25 cents per gallon. They also increased vehicle registration fees and fees for hybrid and electric vehicles.

This will raise about $95 million per year. IDOT asserts the state needs closer to an additional $543 million annually. Point being that All States wish for more traditional Federal support even as they pass band aid bills.

[LAM]

If Denver ever gets a streetcar, maybe they should see if these are available -- or not!


Engadget

[TakeFive]

Connecting more dots and adding it all up.

Assigning cost values $500 million to I-225 light rail and $550 million for the North commuter line and adding those figures to $2.2 billion for Eagle P3 and $700 million for the W line plus $100 million for BRT costs comes to a grand total of $4 billion, $50 million with $200 million pending for the SE extension.

I'm not aware of any federal participation on the I-225 line or the North Line. I believe the total federal participation so far is near $1.5 billion leaving a net somewhat over $2.5 billion for RTD, not counting the SE extension.

I'm sure that the metro's growth in retail sales has brightened RTD's projected revenue streams.

[denconyny]

Originally Posted by LAM

If Denver ever gets a streetcar, maybe they should see if these are available -- or not!


Engadget

How about this will go underground and take one from downtown Denver to underneath the Cherry Creek Mall in less than 2 minutes?

Maybe?

[EngiNerd]

Originally Posted by LAM

If Denver ever gets a streetcar, maybe they should see if these are available -- or not!


Engadget

Pretty sure I know where the inspiration for that came from



http://www.bebrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/LegoStarWarsUCS.jpg

[Cirrus]

Seems like this person might be crazy, but at least the RTD board shows signs of life. A lot of transit boards just rubber stamp whatever the GM brings up.

Originally Posted by Denver Post

RTD board full of discord, dissent
www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27915140/rtd-board-full-discord-dissent

A veteran of the 15-member panel overseeing the Regional Transportation District claims the board is so mired in acrimony that she hired a bodyguard to protect her from a colleague.

Lorraine Anderson said she wanted the bodyguard to accompany her to a recent RTD board retreat because she felt threatened by fellow board member Paul Solano. He says he has never given her any reason to be afraid.

Other board members say Anderson is needlessly confrontational. "I just try and stay away from her and go about my business," Claudia Folska said.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Seems like this person might be crazy, but at least the RTD board shows signs of life. A lot of transit boards just rubber stamp whatever the GM brings up.

The players:

Lorraine__Paul__Claudia_

All photos per http://www.rtd-denver.com/BoardDirectors.shtml

You decide

[PLANSIT]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Seems like this person might be crazy, but at least the RTD board shows signs of life. A lot of transit boards just rubber stamp whatever the GM brings up.

RTD board is elected. It's not awesome.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

Pretty sure I know where the inspiration for that came from



http://www.bebrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/LegoStarWarsUCS.jpg

BTW, I loved this. LMAO

[LAM]

Originally Posted by EngiNerd

Pretty sure I know where the inspiration for that came from



http://www.bebrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/LegoStarWarsUCS.jpg

Man, how did I miss that connection. Nice!

[Scottk]

Looks like senate republicans think having good tires or chains on I-70 is too much of a burden.

Unbelievable

http://www.vaildaily.com/news/15917087-1..._source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[EngiNerd]

Originally Posted by LAM

Man, how did I miss that connection. Nice!

There's a reason I have *nerd* in my screen name

[Denver Dweller]

http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/20...-out-your-car-for-free-parking/25857913/