DENVER | Transportation Thread

[SnyderBock]

Originally Posted by lostknight

Good on them.

This is exactly what you should do when it's clear that a partnership or a engineering program isn't working. Kill it before it gets out of control. The news that the concrete was in fact strong enough to support the construction, but that the developer still wanted a _3 year delay_ and was not hitting their benchmarks on minority hiring or safety just tells you the way this project was going to go. Ferrovial Airports is just in over their heads - they don't appear to know how to manage a project when they don't actually own or operate the airport.

Good riddance.

It has become commonplace for construction & facilities R&M companies to tack on additional cost after additional cost to rack up more scope of work and charges. It's hard to prove (you - the non-expert against them - the expert). It usually comes down to experience telling yourself when you are being played the fool. When this happens, you just have to have the balls to cut them loose and find someone else to finish the work.

Props to DIA and City leadership for suspecting they were being played and having the balls to wash their hands and move on. They will find someone else to complete the job and do so probably within the expanded 3 years of delays, that was going to be the best case scenario anyway.

I also assume DIA will retain the rights to the plans, much in the way they did with the train terminal expansion project

[CameraShy]

Bustang will provide weekend service between Denver/Westminster and Estes Park.

Aug 24 - Sep 29, weekends only.

Round Trip is $10 per person, and it looks to me like one can travel up in the morning and not necessarily return the afternoon of the same day. i.e. Tickets are sold as one-way ($5 ea). I may be wrong on that point.

https://ridebustang.com/estes-park/

Once in Estes Park, visitors can catch the free trolley to access a variety of locations in town, or catch a bus to the park & ride on the Bear Lake Corridor in RMNP.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by lostknight

Good on them.

This is exactly what you should do when it's clear that a partnership or a engineering program isn't working. Kill it before it gets out of control. The news that the concrete was in fact strong enough to support the construction, but that the developer still wanted a _3 year delay_ and was not hitting their benchmarks on minority hiring or safety just tells you the way this project was going to go. Ferrovial Airports is just in over their heads - they don't appear to know how to manage a project when they don't actually own or operate the airport.

Good riddance.

Well stated and the bond rating agencies agree with you.

Given that DIA raised the largest in history bond sale at $2.5 billion it was a given the rating agencies would follow the construction. Btw, the total funding was to cover both the Great Hall and other terminal changes as well as the new gates that are being added plus some additional misc. updates like bathrooms etc.

https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/n..._news_headline

“Even in cases of a strong alignment of interests from all parties to ensure a successful outcome, construction delays can lead to discord in the partnership,” Seth Lehman, senior director of Fitch Ratings, said in a statement. He added that staying in the contract could have harmed the project’s financing. “The projected length of the delay, the added costs for remediation, as well as Denver's rejection of the claim for relief, collectively would have created a more speculative level of risk to the repayment on the project bonds issued by the developer,” Lehman said.

There's other benefits to the divorce.

“Denver will no longer have to share a portion of the concession revenues generated at the main terminal and will also retain longer term flexibility to manage concessions across the entire terminal and multiple concourses serving commercial passengers.”

Originally Posted by SnyderBock

It has become commonplace for construction & facilities R&M companies to tack on additional cost after additional cost to rack up more scope of work and charges. It's hard to prove (you - the non-expert against them - the expert). It usually comes down to experience telling yourself when you are being played the fool. When this happens, you just have to have the balls to cut them loose and find someone else to finish the work.

The stench was easy to smell.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by CameraShy

Bustang will provide weekend service between Denver/Westminster and Estes Park.

Aug 24 - Sep 29, weekends only.

Round Trip is $10 per person, and it looks to me like one can travel up in the morning and not necessarily return the afternoon of the same day. i.e. Tickets are sold as one-way ($5 ea). I may be wrong on that point.

https://ridebustang.com/estes-park/

Once in Estes Park, visitors can catch the free trolley to access a variety of locations in town, or catch a bus to the park & ride on the Bear Lake Corridor in RMNP.

Bustang Rocks the Rockies.

CDOT is seriously doing some good service. This sounds like an great idea.

[TakeFive]

Please come to Boston; then come to Denver (Cool video)



Courtesy of the Governor’s Press Office on Flickr, taken by Joshua Qualls via Curbed Boston

New Orange Line cars rare good news for transportation in Massachusetts
Aug 15, 2019 By Tom Acitelli - Curbed Boston

The Orange Line rollout comes as the MBTA also prepares to replace all Red Line cars with 252 new ones that are expected to expand that route’s capacity by 65,000 riders daily. The MBTA’s $8 billion, five-year capital investment plan is helping pay for both rollouts.

https://www.mbta.com/projects/red-li...vement-program

As part of our $8 billion, 5-year capital investment program that began July 1, 2018, we're rebuilding the Red Line.

This work, including signal upgrades, a new test track and vehicle testing facility, and an upgraded yard and maintenance facility, will result in faster, more comfortable trips on the Red Line, as well as less crowding on platforms and in stations.

It will also support the all-new, expanded Red Line fleet of 252 modern, spacious vehicles, ensuring that an additional 65,000 riders per day can take the Red Line.

What's Boston got to do with Denver?
Well, if you watched the damn video you'd know that Denver comes right after Boston.

Boston's MBTA like what Cirrus is familiar with in D.C. has a Big City heavy rail commuter trains powered by an electric 600 V DC Third Rail. Boston's Orange Line originally opened in 1901 while the Red Line opened in 1912. I'm sure the development/redevelopment around these lines has changed a wee bit over the last hundred years?

That's a long time ago but what has that got to do with Denver?
Oh, I'll tell you what but not until I'm good and ready.

[TakeFive]

You say tomato; I say potato

It's not necessarily an ideal comparison but we'll compare Boston to Denver anyway (while I following the Rockies game).

Interestingly, the combined length of Boston MBTA's Orange and Red Lines is the same 34 miles as Denver RTD's 'A' and 'G' Lines and for ~$2.5 billion we can add the 6-mile 'B' Line.

For the bargain price of $8.5 billion Boston's Orange and Red lines will get all new rolling stock plus the Red Line will get other upgrades. Let's just say RTD's commuter lines for $2.5 billion did alright for themselves. Plus, for another ~$3 billion you can add the W Line, the R Line, the N Line, the SE Extension to Lone Tree and throw in the Flatiron Flyer.

I can't even wrap my mind around a 100 years of time... well, unless I get a chance to come back around, then maybe. Let's cut that down to a reasonable 20-25 years. Considering that Denver adding density on steroids is only a ten year event so far, try envisioning Denver in another 20-25 years.

Over the next 20-25 years how much density will be added along and nearby the various rail stations? Even the laggard R Line stations through North Aurora has, after two years, added two new apartment projects at two different stations, 3 projects are in the pipeline at three other stations and there will be a few multi-family projects as part of the Point at Nine Mile Station redevelopment. Honestly, that's not a bad start.

Jon Gray was so impressed by all this that he went out and pitched 8 shutout innings of a 9-inning 3-0 shutout game.

[Cirrus]

If this was targeted at me and you want me to respond, clarify for me what point you're trying to make, exactly.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

If this was targeted at me and you want me to respond, clarify for me what point you're trying to make, exactly.

When I have a target I totally blow it to smithereens.

But since you were nice enough to stop by and since protected bike lanes are the Hot Topic, did you know that in D.C. protected bike lanes are more dangerous that plain vanilla?


Street-level protected bike lanes like this one in D.C. have a high risk of injury to cyclists, the new IIHS study found.


The study found that conventional bike lanes were less risky than street-level protected bike lanes

Photos credit: IIHS News

https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/som...able-to-injury

For the new study, IIHS collaborated with George Washington University, Oregon Health and Science University and New York University. The researchers used what is known as a case-crossover design to look at the risks associated with different types of cycling infrastructure, including protected bike lanes.

First, they interviewed bicyclists who visited emergency rooms in the District of Columbia, New York City and Portland, Oregon, after crashing or falling. After gathering information about the characteristics of the location where the crash or fall occurred, the researchers then compared the site to another, randomly selected point on the cyclist's route. A total of 604 adults were included in the study.

[Cirrus]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

did you know that in D.C. protected bike lanes are more dangerous that plain vanilla?

This is not what the study found. The article explains that they did not control variables, and that protected bike lanes tend to have high crash rates because they're usually located on the kind of large, busy, complex streets that have the highest crash rates to begin with. This isn't my argument; the study author literally says this in the article.

Your claim here is like saying we should not have stop lights because massive arterial roads with stop lights are more dangerous than quiet cul-de-sacs that don't have any.

If you would like to talk about Vehicular Cycling theory, and why the theoretical safest individual method of biking actually produces terrible and less safe results for everyone, I'm game.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

When I have a target I totally blow it to smithereens.

But since you were nice enough to stop by and since protected bike lanes are the Hot Topic, did you know that in D.C. protected bike lanes are more dangerous that plain vanilla?

So what exactly are you saying here? You are against bike lanes in general? You realize if you remove protected bike lanes, you are more likely to have bikes blending in with city traffic...... and most of us (both drivers and bikers) would like to avoid that......

Didn't you also post an article a while back on dumb NIMBYs who don't want a protected bike lane in front of their house because they think it looks ugly?

[TakeFive]

Have you ever heard the expression "Don't shoot the messenger" ?

Originally Posted by twister244

Didn't you also post an article a while back on dumb NIMBYs who don't want a protected bike lane in front of their house because they think it looks ugly?

You are welcome to point out any of my comments about NIMBY's.

What I did speak to is that many of the experienced, hardcore riders have expressed that they aren't in love with protected bike lanes. I assume they don't want to get stuck behind Granny, etc.

Originally Posted by twister244

So what exactly are you saying here? You are against bike lanes in general? You realize if you remove protected bike lanes, you are more likely to have bikes blending in with city traffic...... and most of us (both drivers and bikers) would like to avoid that......

I have nothing to do with nor do I have any vested interest in George Washington University, Oregon Health and Science University and New York University or the IIHS.

I did however guess that since one of the three subject areas was in Cirrus's back yard that I might rattle his cage a bit.

[Cirrus]

Fun fact: I am an adjunct professor at George Washington University.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Fun fact: I am an adjunct professor at George Washington University.

I thought I remembered you mentioning something once and was going to ask as I didn't recall where or know if you were still doing it.

FWIW, I think college is an appropriate time to be visionary; they'll run into realities soon enough and I'd think your visionary flare is perfect in this environment.

[Cirrus]

B- trolling too obvious.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

B- trolling too obvious.

Over my head but I have a followup question.

Is this a full time gig or part time?

[Cirrus]

Part. Adjunct.

[twister244]

This is a pretty awesome plan from the city imo - https://www.denverpost.com/2019/08/2...il-urban-loop/

Especially since it feels difficult to get to Arapahoe Square and Cap Hill on any trails or bike lanes. RiNo is easy since you have the Platte River trail nearby and the bike lanes on Brighton Blvd. Cherry Creek is surprisingly easy to get to via bikes because of the Cherry Creek trail.

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by twister244

This is a pretty awesome plan from the city imo - https://www.denverpost.com/2019/08/2...il-urban-loop/

Especially since it feels difficult to get to Arapahoe Square and Cap Hill on any trails or bike lanes. RiNo is easy since you have the Platte River trail nearby and the bike lanes on Brighton Blvd. Cherry Creek is surprisingly easy to get to via bikes because of the Cherry Creek trail.

You may have grandchildren before this is finished.
But Denver appropriating $850,000 for the 1st phase design is impressive.

As you point out Downtown is blessed by the Cherry Creek Trail and the Platte River trail.

[TakeFive]

It might not be as nice as Aurora but it's not bad

Because I just posted about the TOD at Evans Station it's worth a note here as well.

The SW Corridor light rail line opened in July of 2000. That's nearly two decades ago. Any TOD for the forlorn Evans Station? Only crickets until the affordable housing Evans Stations Lofts were built a few years ago. But recently Greystar added 200 units and now there's a new condo project and an 8-story apartment project approved for take-off. Given the nearby industrial flavor of this area, it seems destined to get hot.

And it only took two decades for Evans Station TOD to get hot which piggyback's nicely on my above comments about Boston, time and how things can change given enough of that commodity in Denver.

[LooksLikeForever]

United just announced that their previously seasonal service from Denver to London is now year-round: https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/08/...round-flights/

I was hoping for a more exciting international flight announcement (maybe a direct to China or South America?) but this is what we got.