Feds green-light rail plan

Rocky Mountain News ^ | April 9, 2004 | Kevin Flynn

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

W. Corridor among six new light-rail lines in FasTracks

The federal government has agreed to approve the proposed West Corridor light-rail transit line from Denver to Golden.

It is the first of six new rail-transit corridors planned by the Regional Transportation District as part of its $4.7 billion FasTracks plan to get environmental clearance for construction.

"We're very excited about this," Lakewood Mayor Steve Burkholder said. "We've spent many years working with the neighborhoods, RTD, CDOT and the people at the Federal Center, a lot of hard work."

Lee Waddleton, the Denver regional director of the Federal Transit Administration, plans to sign the formal approval of the project's environmental impact study April 19 in Golden. It means that RTD can begin more detailed engineering work and right-of-way acquisition for the 12.1-mile line.

But RTD isn't likely to start major work before November, when it plans to ask voters for an increase in the transit sales tax to pay for the West Corridor and all the other proposed FasTracks rail lines and bus routes.

The environmental study began in June 2001 and cost $8.9 million.

In it, RTD agreed to take several steps to minimize noise and vibration from trains, which in large part will operate on the old Associated Railroad freight line paralleling West 13th Avenue out to the Denver Federal Center. It then will use the north shoulder of the Sixth Avenue Freeway from Simms Street west to the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden.

Just over two months ago, Tom Norton, executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation, wrote to Waddleton, asking that he hold up the approval because of problems that CDOT had with RTD's study. Norton's action caused an uproar but led to the two agencies negotiating a major agreement laying out a process to work together on all future projects. It was approved this week.

Under the current FasTracks plan, the West Corridor would be the first of the new lines to open, in late 2013. Other corridors, under development but not currently as far along as the West Corridor, would open between late 2014 to 2016.

Environmental studies are under way on the U.S. 36 Corridor from Denver to Boulder and Longmont, and on the I-70 East Corridor from downtown to Denver International Airport. RTD recently began a study on the other three new corridors - Interstate 225 in Aurora, the Gold Line to Arvada and the North Metro Corridor through Adams County.

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Proposed FasTracks rail-transit corridors

• West Corridor light-rail transit line from Denver to Golden: would operate on the old Associated Railroad freight line paralleling West 13th Avenue out to the Denver Federal Center. It then would use the north shoulder of the Sixth Avenue Freeway from Simms Street west to the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden.

• Environmental studies under way: the U.S. 36 Corridor from Denver to Boulder and Longmont, and the I-70 East Corridor from downtown to Denver International Airport.

• RTD recently began a study on the other three new corridors - Interstate 225 in Aurora, the Gold Line to Arvada and the North Metro Corridor through Adams County - to gather more detailed information about the scope of those projects.

[68skylark]

Is this good news or bad news?

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[Moonman62]

The federal government has agreed to approve the proposed West Corridor light-rail transit line from Denver to Golden. It is the first of six new rail-transit corridors planned by the Regional Transportation District as part of its $4.7 billion FasTracks plan to get environmental clearance for construction.

As long as they are using the federal government's money, it's not like we have to pay for it, and subsidize it when it fails.

[Willie Green]

IMHO, it's good news.
While not a panacea, electricly powered mass-transit servicing our major urban areas helps reduce our dependence on imported oil.

[Moonman62]

The environmental study began in June 2001 and cost $8.9 million.

$200,000 goes to pay people to walk in the woods. The other $8.7 million goes to lawyers, who in turn make political donations.

[Moonman62]

"We're very excited about this," Lakewood Mayor Steve Burkholder said.

Bank robbers also get excited after making the score of a lifetime.

[Cicero]

It depends on what kind of power they use to make the electricity. Unless it's coal, the plants will probably either burn oil or natural gas.

We need more clean coal plants and, I'm afraid, nuclear plants, before there will be any reduction in our oil dependence.

[Random Access]

While not a panacea, electricly powered mass-transit servicing our major urban areas helps reduce our dependence on imported oil.

See, that's the problem. Major urban areas always get the mass transit. How about us that don't want to live in big cities? Equal treatment is the rule. How about building some of these fancy trains out in West Texas or Northwest Utah? Land is cheap, not many hills, no roads to cross and best of all no one would ride them, so they would stay clean and shiny new for a long time

[Tailback]

Where's the electicity come from genius? Overburdened hydroelectric, expensive natural gas, foreign oil, or evil coal?

[Willie Green]

$200,000 goes to pay people to walk in the woods. The other $8.7 million goes to lawyers, who in turn make political donations.

Yep. We gotta do environmental "studies" anytime we build anything: highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, power plants, factories, etc, etc.
It doesn't mean we stop building.
But if you want to help cut through the red tape, I certainly agree that it'd be less costly and more efficient.

[balrog666]

Where's the electicity come from genius? Overburdened hydroelectric, expensive natural gas, foreign oil, or evil coal?

We'll just mount a windmill on each train and let it generate its own power!

[Willie Green]

Where's the electicity come from genius? Overburdened hydroelectric, expensive natural gas, foreign oil, or evil coal?

Coal isn't "evil".
It's a mineral, a fossil fuel.
And there are new technologies available that allow us to utilize it in a cleaner manner than ever before.
I support implementing clean-coal technologies as an alternative to importing oil or natural gas.
I also believe we should increase our nuclear power generation capacity from 20% to 40% of our requirements over the next 10 years.

[Mark was here]

Recipe for disaster. Put lots of people in a rolling tin can. Put in a little explosive mix. Light fuse.

More money will be spent securing mass transit in the future than running the train. More jobs for the government workers.

People are safer in their own car where they don't have to pick up suicide bombers.

[Willie Green]

Are you making a terrorist threat against our mass transit systems?

[Vinnie]

Golden, population approx 18,000.

They need rail service to Denver? Likely one passenger car and 6 box cars to transport Coors Beer.

[Willie Green]

They need rail service to Denver?

Golden is only 15 miles from Denver (population ~ ½ million +).
So it's basicly a Denver suburb.
I can see how light-rail could provide convenient transportation for daily commuters going both ways.

[Fred Hayek]

My only gripe with rail transit (especially since the time government dollars had gotten involved) has been the endless studies done by consultants, without producing anything except tons of waste paper. Granted there needs to be a good design. Yet the bureaucrats keep waffling, and fall back on "let's do another study". The project bonds are fully funded, interest being paid on the bonds issued, the price of the rolling stock, equipment, etc. is going up over time, and it's still not built because the bureaucrats have reach a decision, except to have the consultants do another study (I have actually seen it happen in New Jersey, and things finally got going when commuter rail equipment dating to the 1930's started having more frequent reliabilty problems, namely the old DL&W MU electric cars.). Thus we see billion dollar plus price tags on a little 10 mile starter LRT system. Gold plate consultants! (Kickbacks to the bureaucrats? Just a thought).

[Tailback]

Coal isn't "evil". It's a mineral, a fossil fuel. And there are new technologies available that allow us to utilize it in a cleaner manner than ever before. I support implementing clean-coal technologies as an alternative to importing oil or natural gas. I also believe we should increase our nuclear power generation capacity from 20% to 40% of our requirements over the next 10 years.

Willie, you almost gave me a heart attack with those statements. When I called coal evil I was being sarcastic. In fact, I think the above statements by you are the first time you said something I agree with. STOP IT!!! YOU'RE FREAKING ME OUT!!!!

Now why don't you spend as much time convincing green party and envirowhacko types that there are enviro-friendly coal fired power plants, as you do attempting to convince conservatives that light rail can work everywhere?

[Willie Green]

In fact, I think the above statements by you are the first time you said something I agree with. STOP IT!!! YOU'RE FREAKING ME OUT!!!!
Now why don't you spend as much time convincing green party and envirowhacko types that there are enviro-friendly coal fired power plants, as you do attempting to convince conservatives that light rail can work everywhere?

My support of electricly light-rail, high-speed rail and Maglev systems naturally evolves from my support for clean-coal and nuclear power technologies. In combination, they will reduce our nation's dependence on imported OPEC oil.

Similarly, I also advocate construction of Nuclear Desalination systems in our coastal states to address concerns of limited fresh water supplies for our growing population.

I don't know why that would "freak" you out.
I'm very consistant on these issues and have been for many years.
You must not participate on the Energy threads very often.