DENVER | Transportation Thread

[Octavian]

Originally Posted by Snodrifter

4 cents? that's it? really, who cares about that...

i'm still curious if they've gotten new estimates on the construction, materials, etc, that was all super inflated a couple years back. wasn't that a huge part of the increase in cost? are they locked in to the prices that they were quoted? i'm unfortunately very uneducated when it comes to this process.

Actually .4 cents, 4 cents on every 10 dollars. No, they don't finalize cost estimates until they send the projects out to bid. And they need to finish the environmental impact statements before they can do that. And they won't send them out to bid unless they know they can pay the contractors.

[Strange Meat]

Originally Posted by Octavian

Actually .4 cents, 4 cents on every 10 dollars. No, they don't finalize cost estimates until they send the projects out to bid. And they need to finish the environmental impact statements before they can do that. And they won't send them out to bid unless they know they can pay the contractors.

i was unaware that they hadn't completed the EIS's for the other lines yet. sounds kinda like a crappy catch-22 they're in, particularly if the construction costs would be significantly less than projected.

[Strange Meat]

also, how long are they going to be 'testing the system' for the time boards at the stations?

[SnyderBock]

Obviously the EIS on the West Corridor is complete. The EIS on the East Corridor is in it's very final stages and will be completed soon (~6 months?). The Gold Line EIS is not far behind. The I-225 LRT extension, North Metro and NW lines are not having EIS's conducted, because they do not meet cost effectiveness requirements set forth by the FTA to qualify for Federal funding--thus only require a more simple study to be conducted (which they are all well underway).

[Mulligan]

[B][I]And we're (almost) off and running...
RTD board OK's request for FasTracks bids
Denver Business Journal - by Cathy Proctor

The board of directors for Denver's Regional Transportation District gave its unanimous, 14-0 approval Tuesday night for the transit agency to issue a formal "request for proposals" for a $2.3 billion contract to build part of the FasTracks project, according to an RTD spokeswoman.

One director who couldn't attend the meeting sent a statement of support for the RFP, the spokeswoman said.

The board's decision is the final authorization needed for RTD to seek bids from three pre-approved teams of companies for a $2.3 billion, 40-year contract to design, build, finance, operate and maintain about one-third of the $6.9 billion FasTracks project.

The RFP is expected to be issued on Sept. 30. Bids from the three teams are due back in March, with an award expected in June or July of 2010, according to RTD officials.

The contract includes building and operating the East line from downtown to Denver International Airport, the Gold line from downtown to Arvada, part of the Northwest line from downtown to about 71st Avenue in Westminster, as well as building a commuter railcar maintenance facility and supplying rail cars for the lines.

RTD expects that the winning team will spend about $1 billion of its own money on the project, and be repaid over the years with up to $1 billion in federal grant money RTD hopes to get, as well as some of RTD's own money.

The $6.9 billion FasTracks project seeks to build more than 100 miles of new mass-transit rail lines through Denver, extend three existing rail lines and upgrade bus service.

[cadetwhite]

Wow, big step. That's good news, however I hope all the budget problems they have had won't keep companies from bidding on the contract.

[SnyderBock]

It wont, because these lines are the ones most secure with funding. If nothing else gets built, these lines still get built.

[EngiNerd]

It wont either, because everyone in the construction industry needs the business.

[SnyderBock]

That's a good point... The players in this contract are going to be trying to undercut each other to land the contract. They are going to find ways to save cost and still cut a profit. They need the business. Prices should be dropping.

[Octavian]

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_13573154

Can FasTracks be saved?
Public transportation based on rail can be a blessing. But up until now, RTD has made a mess of things.

By David Harsanyi and Chuck Plunkett
The Denver Post
POSTED: 10/18/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT

Denver's transportation future
Commuter trains have become a modern necessity for any vibrant, environmentally friendly, forward-looking city. So it is no surprise that Denver-area voters approved the FasTracks initiative in 2004 by a healthy margin or that polls consistently confirm a majority of citizens favor a rail system.

As we've explained in earlier installments of our "Future Denver" transportation series, wanting and having are very different things. Theoretically, public transportation based on rail can be a blessing. In practice, however, Denver's Regional Transportation District has made a mess of the multibillion-dollar, tax-funded project, making promises it couldn't keep and offering estimates that have been dramatically flawed.

Now, with the prospect of RTD coming back to taxpayers in the near future for billions more, it makes sense to re-imagine the proposition.

[Pizzuti]

I still think there's hope of scraping up funding from a second federal stimulus package or from federal transit funding. Once healthcare is out of the way we'll move more directly to this topic.

[rds70]

Monday, November 9, 2009, 2:53pm MST | Modified: Monday, November 9, 2009, 4:59pm

Feds approve 2 FasTracks lines

Denver Business Journal - by Cathy Proctor

The Federal Transit Administration has given its approval to two major pieces of Denver’s FasTracks project, the Regional Transporation District said Monday.

The approval is critical for the two lines — the Gold line from downtown to Arvada and the East line from downtown to Denver International Airport — to get federal money to pay for construction.

The Federal Transit Administration has issued its “Record of Decision,” or formal approval of the route, technologies, station locations and environmental protection or mitigation efforts associated with the Gold and East lines, RTD spokeswoman Pauletta Tonillas said Monday.

FTA issued its approval for the Gold line on Nov. 2 and for the East line on Nov. 6, she said.

“It’s significant,” Tonillas said. “These are major milestones. When you have two major projects that go through an analysis and evaluation process, and you have FTA as your partner through that and then FTA gives final approval, it’s a major step forward for us.”

To pay for the estimated $2.3 billion Gold and East lines, RTD is hoping to get up to $1 billion in federal funding. The agency also hopes that teams bidding for the contract to design, build, operate, maintain and finance the lines will bring up to $1 billion of their own money to the project.

RTD has said it can pay for the remaining portion of the two lines.

[Crush_Buds]

RTD needs to get with the program. For the Broncos game tonight I took the Light Rail from Union Station to Invesco Field, and the ticketing stations were having issues. The first machine I approached had a small line and it took about 5 minutes for the first patron to realise that the machine was not working. So there were probably at least 50 people that were all trying to use one ticketing machine. It turned out that was not working either. So on the Light Rail platform I think there was one fucking machine that was working with about another 30-40 people in line waiting to use it. Hence everyone would have been late for kickoff waiting to buy a ticket and then wait for the next train.

Now normally when I have gone to games this year (on Sundays) there has always been at least one roaming RTD employee that sells round trip tickets to and from Invesco on the Union Staiton platform to make things run smooth and quickly, but tonight there was no such person. Ticketless, I started complaining out loud that I would be late to the game and how pissed off I was becasue the next train arrived. A security guard overheard me and told me and several others to "just get on" the train. So me and maybe 40 other people did just that.

Upon arriving at the Invesco stop there were RTD employees and police waiting on the platform for commuters to show their ticket to allow exit. Now while my friend and I were able to purchase tickets at a manned booth on the platform there were several RTD guards telling people that just got off the train that they must come over and talk to them before they purchase the ticket, and proceeded to issue them citations. Shit, I was almost stupid enough to talk to them, because I thought the other employees watching the exit rails would require I show them my citation. My friend and I "ignored" them and were able to avoid them amongst so many people, but several other people were not as lucky/disobedient/smart.

Seriously RTD, fuck off and build more than three ticketing machines on one of the biggest and most used Light Rail stations in Denver. I've use the Light Rail at several other stops over the years and it infuriates me at how few ticket sales machines are offered. Get with the fucking program already and make an efficient mass transit service that doesn't make you late because of a lack of machines, malfunctioning equipment, and general lag caused by joe-idiot who can't figure out how to purchase a fucking ticket in under 30 seconds requiring you to miss your train. I'm angry now but I didn't even get a citation. I can't even imagine how angry I would be if I did. I'm also aware that Union Station will most likely include more ticketing machines and manned sales booths when the platform is finally upgraded but that is no excuse to not have more now.

Rant over. I'll probably clean this up and email it to RTD, but I wonder if that will do anything at all.

[Istanbul5280]

Crush_Buds, your rant is completely necessary. The ticket machines are a joke. For many people, its the only point of customer relations for RTD and they fail miserably. You should be able to complete the transaction in 5 seconds or less. They should limit access to the platforms with a simple 3 foot tall barrier extended around the platform to the tracks and have the machines distribute tokens to access the platform rather than print out a reciept. Yes, I know people can always walk around such barriers to reach the platform without paying but that's where the honor system comes into play. Trust me, if the honor system works in Istanbul with Turks, it will work in Denver. How many people do you think run to catch the light rail coming to the station and just jump on rather than waiting to pay for the ticket and miss the train? I know I have. The current system punishes many riders for RTD's inefficiencies on this matter.

[Cirrus]

Feds approve 2 FasTracks lines
Denver Business Journal
Monday, November 9, 2009, 2:53pm MST

The Federal Transit Administration has given its approval to two major pieces of Denver’s FasTracks project, the Regional Transporation District said Monday.

The approval is critical for the two lines — the Gold line from downtown to Arvada and the East line from downtown to Denver International Airport — to get federal money to pay for construction.

The Federal Transit Administration has issued its “Record of Decision,” or formal approval of the route, technologies, station locations and environmental protection or mitigation efforts associated with the Gold and East lines, RTD spokeswoman Pauletta Tonillas said Monday.

FTA issued its approval for the Gold line on Nov. 2 and for the East line on Nov. 6, she said.

“It’s significant,” Tonillas said. “These are major milestones. When you have two major projects that go through an analysis and evaluation process, and you have FTA as your partner through that and then FTA gives final approval, it’s a major step forward for us.”

To pay for the estimated $2.3 billion Gold and East lines, RTD is hoping to get up to $1 billion in federal funding. The agency also hopes that teams bidding for the contract to design, build, operate, maintain and finance the lines will bring up to $1 billion of their own money to the project.

RTD has said it can pay for the remaining portion of the two lines.

[wong21fr]

Originally Posted by Istanbul5280

Crush_Buds, your rant is completely necessary. The ticket machines are a joke. For many people, its the only point of customer relations for RTD and they fail miserably. You should be able to complete the transaction in 5 seconds or less. They should limit access to the platforms with a simple 3 foot tall barrier extended around the platform to the tracks and have the machines distribute tokens to access the platform rather than print out a reciept. Yes, I know people can always walk around such barriers to reach the platform without paying but that's where the honor system comes into play. Trust me, if the honor system works in Istanbul with Turks, it will work in Denver. How many people do you think run to catch the light rail coming to the station and just jump on rather than waiting to pay for the ticket and miss the train? I know I have. The current system punishes many riders for RTD's inefficiencies on this matter.

Or how about a machine that a) takes credit cards, and b) allows the use of multi-day passes that can be purchased at the kiosk? I know there's something planned along these lines, but I don't remember the details. This could also be implemented along with turnstalls.

On another note, construction is proceeding smoothly along the SW corridor to allow for 4-car trains. That will be a huge help for us commuters sandwiching ourselves into the currently overstuffed trains during high-traffic hours.

[SnyderBock]

Denver Union Station 60% Design Phase Report

This is a must read report, packing with extensive graphics and details about the project, which until now have been far less defined and somewhat speculative.

It's looking great!

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Or how about a machine that a) takes credit cards, and b) allows the use of multi-day passes that can be purchased at the kiosk? I know there's something planned along these lines, but I don't remember the details. This could also be implemented along with turnstalls.

On another note, construction is proceeding smoothly along the SW corridor to allow for 4-car trains. That will be a huge help for us commuters sandwiching ourselves into the currently overstuffed trains during high-traffic hours.

I completely agree, wong. Having the machines accept credit/debit cards would be a major convenience, as would being able to purchase multi-day passes...

RTD's problem is that their maintenance on those ticket machines seems to be lacking, and lacking a LOT! Same goes for the monthly pass machines at Market St. Station...

Aaron (Glowrock)

[rds70]

Union Station transit-hub project wins loan rating

Officials promoting the $500 million redevelopment of Denver’s Union Station as an expanded transit hub said Thursday that they have received an “investment grade” designation from Fitch Ratings for an all-important loan that the project hopes to get from the federal government.

The Denver Union Station Project Authority hopes to borrow between $300 million and $330 million from several loan programs offered by the U.S. Transportation Department.

The authority needed the initial positive credit assessment from Fitch before it could even apply for one of the loans, said Denver finance chief Claude Pumilia, who is on the board of the authority.

With the Fitch rating in hand, the station authority can start the process of negotiating terms of the loan package with federal officials, Pumilia said. Officials hope they can close on the loans in January. Doing so would allow construction to begin in earnest at Union Station.

Jeffrey Leib, The Denver Post

[pablosan]

That report is very detailed. Thanks.