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Old 10-31-2014, 10:47 AM
 
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I want to bring to attention an article in the Toronto Star praising Denver efforts in public transit.

I grew up in NYC and Buffalo. Toronto was also an ideal city, certainly compared to distressed Buffalo, with the excellent public transit and it was also touted as a model to follow. I have been to Toronto many times and it is vibrant city and much bigger and international than Denver, being the largest city in Canada. It is impressive that they are looking at us.

How Denver

This article gives a good history of what we have gone through over the many decades and is worth reading.

It is really amazing what we have accomplished and what more is coming! As a ex-New Yorker, I am still stunned that a Western City would be a leader in public transit.


Livecontent

Last edited by livecontent; 10-31-2014 at 11:10 AM..
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Old 10-31-2014, 10:58 AM
 
Location: Denver and Boston
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How do Toronto winters compare to Denver winters? The question is in part related to mass transit options, in part just general in nature.
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Old 10-31-2014, 11:05 AM
 
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Originally Posted by Robert5 View Post
How do Toronto winters compare to Denver winters? The question is in part related to mass transit options, in part just general in nature.
My mother was raised in Ontario, so I spend much time there.

The winters in Toronto are more severe and colder than Denver as it is much farther north. Toronto winters are not so severe as Buffalo and Western New York, being the closed US area. The reason is Buffalo is east of the Lake Erie and suffers more Lake effect snows because the winds blow from west to east over the lake. Toronto is West of Lake Erie and so does not have that much of that severe impact with snow depths but all of Ontario is a very cold place in winter.

Getting around Toronto and through the area from Burlington/Hamilton in the south to Mississauga to the north is made much easier with the public transit in the area. What the winters in Toronto does show is that public transit, especially rail, allows a region to remain mobile during severe weather.

Livecontent

Last edited by livecontent; 10-31-2014 at 11:22 AM..
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Old 10-31-2014, 11:20 AM
 
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Great article. I loved the bit on the opposition to light rail funding: John Caldara "and his ilk", who characterize public transport as a scam and "infrastructure envy" - what? Is there any spending of tax dollars these people won't denigrate? But I have to admit that "infrastructure envy" is a new class of epithet. I still hear Caldara "rail" against public transit funding on his weekend radio show - perhaps the clear success of the project, as described in this article, still rankles.

Couple of datapoints - on my weekly forays down into Denver, the light rail cars look WAY more crowded than even a few months ago. And I've noticed more would-be renters specifying a preference to be near light rail, as I seek to fill a rental vacancy.

Excited for the East Line to open to the airport - hope the 2016 scheduled completion date sticks.
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Old 10-31-2014, 11:33 AM
 
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Originally Posted by nele View Post
Great article. I loved the bit on the opposition to light rail funding: John Caldara "and his ilk", who characterize public transport as a scam and "infrastructure envy" - what? Is there any spending of tax dollars these people won't denigrate? But I have to admit that "infrastructure envy" is a new class of epithet. I still hear Caldara "rail" against public transit funding on his weekend radio show - perhaps the clear success of the project, as described in this article, still rankles.

Couple of datapoints - on my weekly forays down into Denver, the light rail cars look WAY more crowded than even a few months ago. And I've noticed more would-be renters specifying a preference to be near light rail, as I seek to fill a rental vacancy.

Excited for the East Line to open to the airport - hope the 2016 scheduled completion date sticks.
We even notice on this forum that people wanted to move here are asking about the public transit. Our efforts are attracting many professionals to this area.

I have crossed swords with Caldera during the failed Guide the Ride vote which he helped defeat. He will never admit he was wrong just like those pundits who complained that we did not need a new airport.

I have also noticed the rail more crowded as I take public transit frequently. There area many students using the rail to get to Auraria as that campus is an easy destination by public transit.

From what I have seen in meetings, I think we will meet the 2016 deadlines. Keep in mind that these rail lines must be ready for testing in 2015, many months before opening.

The big problem is there is so much opening in that year, so there has to be some staggered openings as it would be problematic to open all at the same time with the introduction to the public. I think the the East Rail to the airport will open first, in Spring, as is is much more important and is more anticipated. It will create great media exposure all over the world with it coming into the airport. Also, service to Anschutz is extremely important.

Next will come the 225 rail through Aurora since it meets the East Rail at the Peoria Station. Last will come the Gold Line to Arvada, the Northwest line the Westminster and the BRT to Boulder. I believe all will be opened by the fall of 2016. This is just my assumptions based on what I see--I do not work for RTD.
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Old 10-31-2014, 11:51 AM
 
Location: 0.83 Atmospheres
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I think the importance of the 225 line being completed and linking to the I-70 is being slightly understated maybe because of the sexiness of the airport line. As Lebowski said, it will really tie the room together.
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Old 10-31-2014, 12:11 PM
 
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Originally Posted by livecontent View Post
I have crossed swords with Caldera during the failed Guide the Ride vote which he helped defeat. He will never admit he was wrong just like those pundits who complained that we did not need a new airport.
I don't imagine Galt's Gulch has either a public airport or mass transit, just private helipads and toll roads.
I wonder what current US city is a libertarians' dream city? I certain I would not want to live there!

Politics aside, I am looking forward to all the rail opening in 2016. I will be able to get from Golden to the airport finally.
It is important when discussing Denver mass transit to remind people that the new rail improvements are great, but we also have a strong bus system to complement it all.
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Old 10-31-2014, 12:14 PM
 
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Originally Posted by SkyDog77 View Post
I think the importance of the 225 line being completed and linking to the I-70 is being slightly understated maybe because of the sexiness of the airport line. As Lebowski said, it will really tie the room together.
Yes that is so! The rail to to airport has all the star quality:

First heavy rail opened.
First to come into the brand new Union Station platform.
It will enter the airport under that new giant canopy with the new airport hotel.
It will showcase Denver to the world than any other line.

The 225 line is considered a light rail extension from nine mile station. However, it is extremely important as it serves our largest suburban community. It will have the most accessible station to Anschutz Medical Campus and will be even more important as the new VA hospital opens.

225 will be the line many from the south will use to get to the airport because it would not make sense for everyone to go to Union Station. The issue of course is the transfer at the Peoria Station. That gives me some trepidations because of the not so nice neighborhood of Montbello, nearby. We must have much more security at that station at all hours. This station will be heavily used. We need to avoid any bad events and subsequent bad media.

Livecontent
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Old 10-31-2014, 12:24 PM
 
5,089 posts, read 15,404,810 times
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Originally Posted by Eddyline View Post
I don't imagine Galt's Gulch has either a public airport or mass transit, just private helipads and toll roads.
I wonder what current US city is a libertarians' dream city? I certain I would not want to live there!

Politics aside, I am looking forward to all the rail opening in 2016. I will be able to get from Golden to the airport finally.
It is important when discussing Denver mass transit to remind people that the new rail improvements are great, but we also have a strong bus system to complement it all.


Absolutely correct! People forget that Fastracks is not only about rail, it is also about expansion of buses, more feeder buses to the station and call-n-ride services. It is also about more park-n-rides. Fastrack also includes more accessible pedestrian and bicycle access to public transit.

Rail cannot exist without access to the stations and cannot be the sole modality of transit. Buses, Cars, Bicycle and Pedestrian are all complementary parts of public transit.

I am well versed in Public transit and I know that many of the bus routes offer superior public transit that equals or is better than rail transit. The bus routes that run often with a high frequency, day and night, seven days a week are many times preferable to taking rail. For example Rout 16 on West Colfax, Route 0 on Broadway allow those who do not own a car to get on and off right near varied stores and shops which are right near the bus stop. Most rail stations do not have services nearby and require transfer to other means of transit.

Thanks for the reference to Galt's Gulch. I read Atlas Shrugged about 50 years ago and it took me some time to remember what you were talking about (OK, I had to look it up on the web).

Livecontent

Last edited by livecontent; 10-31-2014 at 12:33 PM..
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Old 10-31-2014, 12:27 PM
 
473 posts, read 849,131 times
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225 will be the line many from the south will use to get to the airport because it would not make sense for everyone to go to Union Station. The issue of course is the transfer at the Peoria Station.
Agree. This has barely been acknowledged, and I didn't realize how far the progress has come along since I was was in Aurora recently.

Many people (myself included) work in the tech center and live in south Denver, and this is far faster, and will be less crowded, than connecting through downtown. And the nice large SE stations (designed for commuters) provide plenty of drop off and pick up points for those in the vicinity of the SE line who don't want to burden friends and family with an airport run, (or actually prefer the train over a car ride during rush hour.)

When connected it would be nice if they reinstated the "L" shaped line originating at Lincoln Ave (I forget the line letter), making a nice one stop airport connection for anyone south of Hampden.
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