DENVER | Transportation Thread

[CastleScott]

^ I've never thought it was very wise to allow bikes on Pena, heck the shoulders are way too narrow for a safe route and are needed for pull overs, breakdowns and that sort of stuff. Hell have bikes go on the trains were theres plenty of racks...

[TakeFive]

RTD and Lakewood need to get it together

They should get with the program. The program would be to run my favorite buses up and down Wadsworth between Belmar and 20th ave. On the north end they could circulate over to Pierce St. and down to Colfax before heading back south on Wadsworth. This would provide access to Walmart etc, Jefferson HS, the DMV, Rocky Mountain College of Art and historic Casa Bonita.

Similarly they could circulate through Belmar on the south end. This could substantially, dramatically help stimulate more TOD near the Wadsworth (LRT) Station. It could provide good transit traffic to and from the station and new residents near the station would have great transit access to many useful places as a result.

The Wadsworth Circulator

www.newflyer.com

[CastleScott]

^ Agreed!!! I wrote a thesis on mass transit for metro Denver back when I was at Metro State/UCD and one of my plans was enhanced frequent bus service on Wads actually all the way from US 36 on the north all the way down to C-470 on the south. I actually had the idea of signal priority for buses as part of my plan and this was back in the mid 80s before BRT was thought of.

Great idea TakeFive and I wish RTD, the city of Lakewood and DRCOG looks into this...

[Cirrus]

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Well sure. But the ability to bypass congestion in a crunch is a nice choice to have

No argument here. I'm all for HOT lanes. They're sensible, doable, and offer plenty of benefits. But I also think the temptation to over-sell them is strong, and often results in less good projects.

We should compare notes the next time you're here. I'm on my... 5th HOT lanes negotiation right now.

[CastleScott]

But I also think the temptation to over-sell them is strong, and often results in less good projects.

Great point, is there a HOT lane on I-95 between DC and Baltimore?

[Cirrus]

No but there are plenty in the area, including on I-95 in two separate stretches both south of DC in VA and north of Baltimore in MD.

[CastleScott]

No but there are plenty in the area, including on I-95 in two separate stretches both south of DC in VA and north of Baltimore in MD.

Cool, thanks. I bet there could be some big demand especially from some folks going to BWI from both DC and Baltimore..

[TakeFive]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

No argument here. I'm all for HOT lanes. They're sensible, doable, and offer plenty of benefits. But I also think the temptation to over-sell them is strong, and often results in less good projects.

We should compare notes the next time you're here. I'm on my... 5th HOT lanes negotiation right now.

I'd be curious to hear a summary view or bullet points on some of your thoughts.

I'm also glad to hear that you're more amenable to going with BRT (USA modified style) than I recalled. I've noticed that many of the "New Starts" awards have gone to less large-sized cities who want to give BRT a try. Indianapolis come to mind. I also read where Minneapolis has extensive plans for new BRT with one line completed.

Of course when it comes to transit forms there will always be naysayers.

Congrats GGW! This colossal white elephant you have cheerleaded for is in operation. People can now travel slower down H St. than if they took the bus.

So what's next? Getting on the bandwagon for the Georgetown cable car?

by Beatbox on Feb 29, 2016 10:25 am

LINK

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

No argument here. I'm all for HOT lanes. They're sensible, doable, and offer plenty of benefits. But I also think the temptation to over-sell them is strong, and often results in less good projects.

We should compare notes the next time you're here. I'm on my... 5th HOT lanes negotiation right now.

We should, yes. One difference is maybe that we don't have a choice. We're doing them because it's the only non-TABOR revenue that we have that we can legally bond against. If anything, I'd love to get rid of the HOV component. We're doing that for C470 - not allowing free HOV. Just pure tolled express lanes. More revenue, more control over traffic, that way.

[Scottk]

Can anybody explain to me why the I-70 express lane is only open 72 days a year?

My understanding of the project was that the lane is only open 72 days a year because it is technically not considered a lane, and needs to serve as a shoulder the rest of the time. However, today I got into a discussion with someone who insisted that if CDOT had just added an extra 2 feet of asphalt the express lane could have been a 365 day a year solution. I responded that federal highway regulations require 8' of shoulder on the outside and 4' of shoulder on the inside in mountainous areas. He responded to this by claiming that CDOT could have just obtained a waiver for the sections without a shoulder, and that there are tons of sections of interstate highway in the US without shoulder.

This sounded like a load of bullshit to me. Is there any truth to his claims? Please enlighten me, bunt!

[bunt_q]

Originally Posted by Scottk

Can anybody explain to me why the I-70 express lane is only open 72 days a year?

My understanding of the project was that the lane is only open 72 days a year because it is technically not considered a lane, and needs to serve as a shoulder the rest of the time. However, today I got into a discussion with someone who insisted that if CDOT had just added an extra 2 feet of asphalt the express lane could have been a 365 day a year solution. I responded that federal highway regulations require 8' of shoulder on the outside and 4' of shoulder on the inside in mountainous areas. He responded to this by claiming that CDOT could have just obtained a waiver for the sections without a shoulder, and that there are tons of sections of interstate highway in the US without shoulder.

This sounded like a load of bullshit to me. Is there any truth to his claims? Please enlighten me, bunt!

It's only open for a limited number of days per year because that's the condition the FHWA has put on it. "Just getting the Feds to do something" sounds real easy; not unlike how RTD "should've just gotten the railroads to give them the right of way to Boulder." The real world is harder. Who knows if that can change, though, depending on how well operations go (and so far it's working really well). There's no precedent for a lane like that, so it's sort of guess and check.

I can't say for sure if two feet would have been enough to bring it up to full federal standards. But "just adding two feet" isn't as easy as it sounds in a narrow mountain corridor. You're talking many millions of dollars, new walls and structures, etc. Have your friend go raft Clear Creek in the spring, and then you guys can discuss how easy it is to find two feet through there (on the super cheap).

[TakeFive]

Good Grief. Is anybody awake over here?

Oh Boy

Courtesy of RTD/Fastracks

"Light rail’s impact on office is undeniable"
By Michelle Askeland March 14, 2016 - Colorado Real Estate Journal

In the past five years, prices for the land surrounding light-rail stations have doubled and, in some areas, tripled on a cost per-square-foot basis. One example is the Village Center Station near the Arapahoe light-rail station. About four years ago, the land was valued around $21 a square foot, and now it’s $60 a sf, said Tim Harrington, executive managing director of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. At the other end of the line, property downtown within proximity of light rail has skyrocketed. It now ranges from $300 to $600 a sf.

Interesting article and I thought this most telling.

Not only is it important to tenants and employees, it affects investors as well. “It’s becoming more and more important to investors to be by light rail,” said Geoff Baukol, executive vice president with the CBRE capital markets division.

[Cirrus]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

Good Grief. Is anybody awake over here?

Go back 2 pages bro

[TakeFive]

Courtesy City of Arvada via Arvada Press.com

"Arvada Gold Line stations rolling along"
March 30 2016 by Crystal Anderson - Arvada Press

Over the past two years, construction work has been occurring at three sites across the city, preparing them for something big — the Gold Line.

The stations, each at a varying level of construction, still have a ways to go before the rail line's October opening.

“The hard part is done,” said Maria Vanderkolk, communications manager with the City of Arvada. “The Arvada Ridge and Gold Strike stations are close to completion, but of all our three stations, they are the less complicated. The Olde Town Transit Hub is a City of Arvada project, and we're shooting for substantial completion by Oct. 1.”

Nice article and they talk about each of the stations.

“Education, entertain and enterprise — that's how we're branding it,” she said. “It will be a huge celebration and a lot of fun, and we're just jazzed and excited about it.”

I would assume that once the A Line is open that those crews will move over to help on the G Line in hopes of completion in October.

[TakeFive]

"U.S. 36 commuters (a lot of them) are hopping on the bus, RTD says"
April 4, 2016 by Cathy Proctor - Denver Business Journal

The number of people using the bus to travel between Denver and Boulder jumped 45 percent in six months, a jump officials at the Regional Transportation District attribute to the new Flatiron Flyer bus rapid transit service that launched in January.

....and just like Ol' Man River the Flatiron Flyer just keeps rolling along.


"CDOT Moving Forward on C-470 Tolled Express Lanes Segment I Design-Build Project"
April 4, 2016 - Metro Denver Colorado/CDOT Region 1

"This regionally significant project for Colorado attracted global interest from the design-build industry. The great competition at the qualifications phase continued into the selection phase....

Three teams were short-listed to submit proposals for the 12.5 mile C-470 Tolled Express Lanes Segment 1 Design-Build project. Flatiron/AECOM was the Apparent Selected Proposer at the price opening held March 30, 2016.

What I want to know is when will it be done?

Construction of the $215 million project is anticipated to begin this summer and is projected to be complete in the spring of 2019.

[EngiNerd]

Originally Posted by TakeFive

"U.S. 36 commuters (a lot of them) are hopping on the bus, RTD says"
April 4, 2016 by Cathy Proctor - Denver Business Journal

....and just like Ol' Man River the Flatiron Flyer just keeps rolling along.


"CDOT Moving Forward on C-470 Tolled Express Lanes Segment I Design-Build Project"
April 4, 2016 - Metro Denver Colorado/CDOT Region 1

What I want to know is when will it be done?

The Flatiron Flyer has carried an average of 14,428 passengers per weekday, an increase of 45 percent compared to August 2015, RTD said Monday.

And what was the train supposed to carry? Oh yeah that's right (2035 projections no less)...

http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-c...-rail-will-get

Granted, I know there are 6 FF lines running currently which helps bolster those numbers, but why would we even still consider the rail up to Boulder, when bus is proving to get the job done (and then some) for a fraction of the cost?

[TakeFive]

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald file photo via The Journal - Cotez

"More Republicans consider hospital provider fee restructure"
April 3, 2016 By Peter Marcus - Herald Denver Bureau

DENVER – State Rep. Don Coram of Montrose may become the latest Republican to break from GOP leadership to support a controversial restructuring of a hospital provider fee to free money.

“I will probably, more than likely, support the hospital provider fee,” Coram said.

He would become one of a handful of Republicans to publicly support the effort.

The bill is sponsored in the Senate by Republican Larry Crowder of Alamosa, who has been criticized by conservative groups and fellow Republican lawmakers for his support.

This is a Big Deal in rural parts of Colorado. One alternative would be to slash the Hospital Provider Fee amounts which is favored by more conservative Republicans.

“Honestly, if you’re really looking to protect your rural districts, where our Medicaid uses in hospitals are higher than the state average, we benefit from that,” Coram said. “We need to stop kicking the can down the road.”

When asked whether he is afraid of criticism from fellow Republicans and right-leaning groups, Coram responded: “I don’t care. “I had a life before I was elected to office, and I will have a life after.”

There has been growing support for reclassifying the Hospital Provider Fee as an Enterprise Fund. This would release a nice pile of cash for funding transportation and education needs, as well as other things.

I know, in general, that Republicans have somewhat different spending priorities and I might be supportive of many but transportation and education, especially more funding for higher education from a business competitive standpoint should be no-brainers.

[TakeFive]

MOAR TOD

Photo by Burl Rolett - BusinessDen

"Perlmutter plans 112-apartment, light-rail-friendly project on Yale Circle"
March 31, 2016 by Burl Rolett - BusinessDen

Jordon Perlmutter & Co. will start on a new, $28 million apartment complex at 5101 Yale Circle this summer. Principal Jay Perlmutter said Yale Street Station, as it’s called, has public transportation at its doorstep.

“It’s exciting because it’s literally less than a 100-yard walk to the light rail,” Perlmutter said. “It’s on Yale Circle, so it’s really isolated from the highway, but it circles right back to the rail stop.”

Old, old memories as this was my First Neighborhood and I had the privilege of knowing Jay's dad Jordie.

[Cirrus]

The Flatiron Flyer has carried an average of 14,428 passengers per weekday

Does that make it RTD's busiest line? What's Colfax?

Besides the Mall shuttle, of course.

[Cirrus]

Originally Posted by denver.gov

October 2008, the existing average daily ridership on the 15L bus route is 12,879. Route 15 has an average daily ridership of 11,111

https://www.denvergov.org/Portals/73...%20Context.pdf

24,000 combined. 10,000/day above FlatIron Flyer still. That's high! I'd have guessed 15-16,000 combined.