DENVER | Transportation Thread - Page 428

TakeFive · #**8541** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 4:57 AM**

mr1138... You raise another very good point as to why I think ultimately the transit system will be marvelous.

There's been so much focus and energy in development downtown, which is awesome, but going forward and over time I'd expect to see growing TOD development. Think back 15 years - about how downtown has slowly, steadily picked up development steam to where the activity is today. I'd expect a very similar cycle of TOD development.

The West Line could develop a nice urban area of density at the Federal Center Station assuming the new Federal Center Master Plan develops out along with the Union Blvd. corridor.

The Aurora School District part of Aurora could easily densify to meet a demand for Hispanic/immigrant demographics. The Cherry Creek School District part of Aurora should remain stable and may even become more desirable. Thinking longer term all you have to do is look at a map to see Aurora's proximity and transportation advantages with two freeways and light rail access to various employment centers.

I'd guess many of "us" overlook how integral and powerful the immigrant populations are to Texas, Arizona and Southern California. Arizona recently hosted a business roundtable that featured Carlos Slim. Likely most don't realize how much Mexico's economy has and is improving. They're Arizona's largest trading partner and Mexicans are the 2nd largest source of tourism. Apple manufacturer Foxconn (Chinese), for example, has invested billions on the Mexican side of the border.

LOL, I digressed. Anyway I assume TOD's to be a huge focus for development going forward and over time.

Brainpathology · #**8542** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 12:19 PM**

Oh come on guys, Aurora's line sucks.. so what, everything involved with Aurora sucks. Be happy they got with it and helped pass fastracks to improve downtown. Any of you or me who voted and expected it to make Aurora better needs to go straight to a Dr and sort some things out. And why would you WANT it to actually become much better anyway? Aurora is where failures move when they want to tell tell their friends who don't know any better that they live in Denver. It's Denver's Oakland.

And how is the West line slow? I took it from US to Golden and then walked to State 38 (about a mile) and was there getting daydrunk in less than an hour (55 minutes). Do all of you have jobs that wouldn't be made easier with 40 minutes of uninterrupted reading or laptop work time? You can't do that while you're driving. I know it's like asking an elephant to play Chopin but maybe possibly RTD could be convinced that having wifi on the trains would be a good way to attract more riders who would appreciate not getting to work more slowly, but being given the time they used to waste driving back to them in productivity during the work day. It certainly wouldn't be a bad way to advertise the time spend riding anyway.

CharlesCO · #**8543** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 2:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainpathology

Aurora is where failures move when they want to tell tell their friends who don't know any better that they live in Denver. It's Denver's Oakland.

As someone who lives in the East Bay and works in Oakland, I take that as an insult to put Oakland at the level of Aurora.

Despite it having a stigma that I think is even stronger outside the Bay Area than inside, Oakland has a lot going for it. It has more BART stations per capita than San Francisco, including three underground stations downtown, and it's far more functional than a measly suburban-to-suburban LRT line. Parts of Oakland are just as vibrant (and almost just as gentrified) as San Francisco. Denver would kill to have neighborhoods like Oakland's Temescal, Rockridge, Lake Merritt, and Jack London Square. Oakland has a very real downtown that has a lot more potential infill capacity than San Francisco, and it is far from having Aurora's problem of having to artificially construct a city center. Oh, and last time I checked, Aurora doesn't have three pro sports teams of its own either.

A far better analogue to Aurora would be Concord. That truly is the Bay Area's armpit, and it's just as hopelessly suburban as Aurora.

Now to keep this on-topic, here's some real transit for you. Timed transfers of trains with a capacity of 2,000 passengers each and a top speed of 80 mph, all meeting in uptown Oakland:

• Video Link

Brainpathology · #**8544** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 2:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

As someone who lives in the East Bay and works in Oakland, I take that as an insult to put Oakland at the level of Aurora.

Despite it having a stigma that I think is even stronger outside the Bay Area than inside, Oakland has a lot going for it. It has more BART stations per capita than San Francisco, including three underground stations downtown, and it's far more functional than a measly suburban-to-suburban LRT line. Parts of Oakland are just as vibrant (and almost just as gentrified) as San Francisco. Denver would kill to have neighborhoods like Oakland's Temescal, Rockridge, Lake Merritt, and Jack London Square. Oakland has a very real downtown that has a lot more potential infill capacity than San Francisco, and it is far from having Aurora's problem of having to artificially construct a city center. Oh, and last time I checked, Aurora doesn't have three pro sports teams of its own either.

A far better analogue to Aurora would be Concord. That truly is the Bay Area's armpit, and it's just as hopelessly suburban as Aurora.

Now to keep this on-topic, here's some real transit for you. Timed transfers of trains with a capacity of 2,000 passengers each and a top speed of 80 mph, all meeting in uptown Oakland:

• Video Link

Yeah but who's heard of Concord? ... and I was going for the Raider fan image.. not the actual city image. I had to stay in Hayward once too for work.. it would have been more appropriate.. or at least when I stayed it would have been.

seventwenty · #**8545** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 2:54 PM**

I would personally like to wish bunt a happy bike to work day.

HAPPY BIKE TO WORK DAY, BUNT!

CharlesCO · #**8546** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainpathology

Yeah but who's heard of Concord? ... and I was going for the Raider fan image.. not the actual city image. I had to stay in Hayward once too for work.. it would have been more appropriate.. or at least when I stayed it would have been.

You could make the same argument for Aurora. Who's heard of Aurora? The two cities that most out of state people can come up with that are in Colorado are always Denver and Boulder. Aurora doesn't usually register, thank God, unless if we're talking about the theater shooting.

Hayward and Concord are interchangeable. At some point the ghetto factor isn't quite as overpowering, and they're both so suburban that nobody really cares. Though my condolences for having spent a week there. Hayward is probably a closer comparison to Aurora than Oakland is. Oakland is still ghetto, especially East Oakland, but it just has so much more going for it in other places that I can't agree with comparing it to Aurora.

The Raiders still do suck and so do their fans, but I actually wouldn't mind if they left. But that's not the first thing people think of when they hear of people moving from San Francisco to Oakland. It's more of a hipsters/fixie bikes/RiNo/Brooklyn sort of image more than anything.

wong21fr · #**8547** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 3:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brainpathology

And how is the West line slow? I took it from US to Golden and then walked to State 38 (about a mile) and was there getting daydrunk in less than an hour (55 minutes). Do all of you have jobs that wouldn't be made easier with 40 minutes of uninterrupted reading or laptop work time? You can't do that while you're driving. I know it's like asking an elephant to play Chopin but maybe possibly RTD could be convinced that having wifi on the trains would be a good way to attract more riders who would appreciate not getting to work more slowly, but being given the time they used to waste driving back to them in productivity during the work day. It certainly wouldn't be a bad way to advertise the time spend riding anyway.

Three years ago, I would have taken that commute. Hell, I did take that commute via bus and light rail. Today, with a little Wong running around exploring the world, the 1 commute is a lot less desirable as my time at home is more important.

bunt_q · #**8548** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 3:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventwenty

I would personally like to wish bunt a happy bike to work day.

HAPPY BIKE TO WORK DAY, BUNT!

Grumble grumble.

That would explain why Broadway was nice an open this morning. Oh wait, no it wouldn't because professionals don't bike in 90 degree heat.

wong21fr · #**8549** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 4:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Grumble grumble.

That would explain why Broadway was nice an open this morning. Oh wait, no it wouldn't because professionals don't bike in 90 degree heat.

Only those that don't have access to a fitness center in their office building. You know, those that have to make do with shitty, outdated state government buildings with zero amenities.

seventwenty · #**8550** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 4:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Grumble grumble.

That would explain why Broadway was nice an open this morning. Oh wait, no it wouldn't because professionals don't bike in 90 degree heat.

(Didn't see my snapchat of people in suits going down 15th)

bunt_q · #**8551** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 7:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Only those that don't have access to a fitness center in their office building. You know, those that have to make do with shitty, outdated state government buildings with zero amenities.

Or, those who like their clothes to be ironed when they arrive, and not put on semi-wrinkled in a locker room. Or who may not be keen on showering with the folks they only know from the water cooler. Or who just don't think being air conditioned on their way to work is inherently evil, so they are a little confused as to why sweating their faces off during their commute sounds like such an amazing idea. I've known plenty or European bike commuters, but never one who you'd also consider to be a sharp dresser at work.

I have no experience with shitty, outdated state government buildings. Only fancy-pants news ones, thank you very much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventwenty

(Didn't see my snapchat of people in suits going down 15th)

Send me this, please, so I can mock it.

TakeFive · #**8552** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 7:41 PM**

"CDOT's $1.17 billion I-70 plan draws international array of interested firms"
Jun 23, 2015 by Cathy Proctor, Denver Business Journal

Quote:

CDOT is seeking a private partner to design, build, operate, maintain and finance the I-70 East project.

“We are thrilled at the caliber of the teams that responded to our request for qualifications,” said Tony DeVito, CDOT’s project director.

That is one impressive lineup of five bidders. I thought the timing would be a little quicker but Oh well.

Quote:

The final, formal Environmental Impact Statement for the project is expected to be done early in 2016. Construction is expected to begin in 2017.

I've got to assume that Kiewit has the advantage of being well familiar with this area. I'd also assume that Plenary and Skanska would be a strong candidate. Cintra and Bechtel intrigues although new to this area. Gosh, they all seem eminently qualified. Sorting through the proposals should much fun, fun.

TakeFive · #**8553** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 8:05 PM**

Pretty nifty

photo credit to RTD-Denver - only image I could find so I went with it.

"Big changes in store for RTD’s Civic Center Station in downtown Denver"
Jun 24, 2015 by Cathy Proctor, Denver Business Journal

Quote:

And with RTD now reviewing bids from contractors for peeling back the roof of the plaza to creating white-canopied area with a glass-walled, sun-filled
transportation hub, a larger conversation is starting how the transformation of Civic Center Station might change the larger upper downtown area.

seventwenty · #**8554** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 9:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

Send me this, please, so I can mock it.

Man old people do not know how snapchat works. It's gone forever.

bunt_q · #**8555** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 9:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventwenty

Man old people do not know how snapchat works. It's gone forever.

(A) I've never taken or received a snapchat I didn't screen capture. Ever.

(B) Myth! It's not gone. You can still get it in your stories.

(C) Damn naive kids thinking they can sext with no consequences...

Cirrus · #**8556** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 9:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventwenty

Man old people do not know how snapchat works.

Thus 720 has explained the entire reason for snapchat's existence. Also Whisper and Yik Yak.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunt_q

(A) I've never taken or received a snapchat I didn't screen capture. Ever.

Me neither! Hey, how many have you taken or received in total?

RyanD · #**8557** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 9:46 PM**

My phone is rooted so I can just pull snaps from my local storage. It's gone forever... BAH!

bunt_q · #**8558** Posted **Jun 24, 2015, 10:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cirrus

Thus 720 has explained the entire reason for snapchat's existence. Also Whisper and Yik Yak.

Me neither! Hey, how many have you taken or received in total?

10 maybe? All from tinder girls probably.

Scottk · #**8559** Posted **Jun 25, 2015, 1:07 AM**

I'm sure that bunt is thrilled that it dumped rain and hail right during rush hour.

Can't commute on a bike if it is hailing

bunt_q · #**8560** Posted **Jun 25, 2015, 1:42 AM**

It does sort of make my point on the best day of the year for it - bike to work day. There was no shortage of people scurrying around looking for a ride home. Even tougher for those who needed that ride to also be able to carry a bicycle.

I posted a photo of the Broadway River earlier - with waves lapping up against the building - to RyanD's Facebook. And yes, there was one hardy two-wheeled soul knee deep in it.