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Old Posted Sep 25, 2013, 2:04 AM
Fritzdude Fritzdude is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2008
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Does anyone subscribe to the RTD Newsletter? Here is today's info:

September 24, 2013
Welcome

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) continues to make progress on the North Metro Rail Line. On Monday, September 23, four proposals were received from contractors who are prepared to design and build the rail line. Evaluation of the proposals will begin immediately and a final recommendation will be presented to the RTD Board in November. Read about more on our website.

Prep work is underway near the 72nd Avenue station, work on the commuter rail maintenance facility continues and RTD continues to work with local communities and governments to address questions and concerns as we stride toward the build out of the North Metro Rail Line. Stay abreast of the latest information by visiting the North Metro section of the FasTracks website and subscribing to our e-newsletter. While on the website, use the tools we’ve established to keep you updated on progress and impacts.

Please note that we’ll send you our next e-newsletter in November and will begin our monthly e-newsletter distribution in January.

Latest News

Prep work begins on the North Metro Rail Line

Bambei-Walker ConstructionConstruction on the North Metro Rail Line is scheduled to start next year, but RTD and Denver Water are partnering on some early construction work at an Adams County reservoir that will save time and money on the project.

The Bambei-Walker Reservoir currently is empty for routine maintenance, which provides RTD an opportunity to fill in small sections of the reservoir’s edge in preparation for the railway’s build out. The reservoir is located southwest of what will eventually be the 72nd Avenue Station.

RTD will be able to save money in the long run by implementing early mitigation work while the reservoir is empty, rather than having to pay to have it drained in the future. The situation also gives RTD the opportunity to prepare the area months ahead of schedule and the resulting cost and time savings will free up funds that will be better spent on other segments of the North Metro Rail Line.

“This is a great example of how RTD looks for ways to be as efficient as possible with our resources and time,” says North Metro Rail Line Project Manager Jim Starling. “Because of a long-standing partnership with Denver Water, we were able to move quickly to take advantage of this money and time-saving opportunity.”

For now, it is unknown how long the reservoir will remain empty due to current weather conditions in Colorado, so time is of the essence, Starling said.

RTD contractor Gilmore Construction has started filling in the edge around the reservoir and the project is expected to last through the end of September.

Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility taking shape

Commuter Rail Maintenance FacilityConstruction of RTD’s commuter rail maintenance facility (CRMF), located at 5151 Fox St., continues to make major progress. In 2012, the RTD Board approved the expansion of the CRMF as well as the purchase of six additional rail cars to serve the North Metro Rail Line. Denver Transit Partners, the Eagle P3 contractor, is building the 230,000-square-foot facility, which is scheduled to be complete late next year.

The CRMF will serve as the commuter rail operations and control center for the East Rail Line to Denver International Airport, the Gold Line to Arvada and the first leg of the Northwest Rail Line to Westminster. All three projects are scheduled to open in 2016. Once completed, the CRMF will be RTD’s largest rail maintenance facility, and encompass a 30-acre rail yard.

Once completed, the CRMF will be LEED-certified, meeting the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design construction standards. A 240-person team will maintain, clean and repair trains at the site, which will be able to accommodate up to 80 commuter rail cars. Watch a slide show of photos taken at the CRMF construction site.

Question of the month

We welcome input regarding the project. In an effort to keep all of our constituents informed, we are introducing the “question of the month” to address common questions and concerns we are asked to answer frequently. Should you have a question, concern or comment, please submit it to us by going to our website.

Question: How loud will the train be and will there be sound walls between the tracks and my house?

Answer: The commuter rail trains planned for the North Metro Rail Line are much quieter than the freight trains you may be more accustomed to seeing. The electric commuter rail cars are powered by overhead electricity and runs on continuously welded rail, eliminating the clickety-clack sometimes associated with railroads. In addition, RTD will work with local jurisdictions to apply for Public Utilities Commission “quiet zones.” This means that the trains won’t blow their horns as they travel through intersections, which greatly reduces noise. There have been three separate noise analyses done to date. The first one assumed there were two tracks (double track) throughout the entire corridor and the train was diesel powered; the second study was completed when the train type changed from diesel to electric; and the third study was done when the double track changed to some single track sections. The results determine where RTD will place sound walls. Sound walls will be 8 feet above the top of the track and placed as closely to the track as possible.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

The North Metro Rail Line public information team is committed answering questions, addressing comments and mitigating concerns. Contact us.


How to stay up to date and involved

One of the best ways to get the latest information about the North Metro Rail Line is to ensure we have your email address. Our e-newsletters will keep you up to date with project information, upcoming community meetings and events and general information about the FasTracks program. As we move into final design and construction, our newsletters will keep you informed about design details, construction progress and where construction may be affecting you. We want to ensure that our information reaches the entire corridor. Please encourage your colleagues, friends and neighbors to sign up to receive our periodic emails and monthly newsletters. Visit our website to sign up.
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