Quote:
Originally Posted by bunt_q
This might be the most foolish thing you have ever suggested. If you're into putting rail where there is no appreciable population, might I suggest the Salida to Buena Vista corridor too?
Since we're focused on how different the west side is, you'll have to tell me how southwest Denver (say along Federal) is less populated, or suitable for transit, than central Aurora west of 225? Either you're just flat wrong, or you're comparing apples to oranges.
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((the old Rio Grande narrow gage did that before the automobile
)
I have thought long about the possibility of a south street car light rail combo on south Kipling.
A) A nice median is available from 6th Ave to US 285.
B) A great terminal and acquirable ROW exists on the western and southern edges of the Fed Center.
Ideally, the hypothetical line would be looped into the SW line, perhaps parallel to, and, in, US 285.
C) The Lakewood Area, that this line would traverse, is going to keep growing, and, the Fed Center Station area will too.
D) I know most of us hate politics (which is one reason we rant here), but in order to expand the steel wheel (or making new BRTs*) in the Metro Area, IMO,
Lakewood, and Aurora have to be included in the sale's pitch as these cities share the longest border with the City of Denver, and, these two borders have mark high density (relatively speaking) population centers.
E) If we were to initiate serious planning on any of the routes discussed in this blog topic, when would they be completed?
Let's say- for argument's sake- that we would be dealing with a 10 to 15 year time span. Area's that are low density now, yet close to 2nd Tier employment centers will have changed by 2023 to 2028.
The steel wheel transit system- baring I-225 right of way- has been built in either low density areas (at the time of construction) or along old railroad ROW.
Any route going along very busy streets- Colfax, for example, is going to be both highly disruptive and very expensive. Consequently, future routes, IMO, should be viewed as best compromises between cost of construction and the populations that future line would serve, with the addendum that these lines will trigger densification on lines.
We already have picked "the low hanging fruit."
*Actually, a BRT would work perfectly in that median and be cheap to boot. A bus/carpool lane could be built down US 285 east from Kipling, and, feed into the Englewood Station via S. Inca. This could be done, IMO, for the cost of a mile or two on Colfax east of Civic Street Station. Assuming the 45 minute transportation yard stick, and, a 30 minute transit time from the Fed Center to Englewood Station, seems to me about 100,000 people could be served for relatively low bucks. And, Bunt, you make me realize that BRT at $4 million per mile in the median on Kipling and splitting the cost for a carpool lane with CDOT on US 285, would make such a project doable.
Another interesting side point- on US 285 from Kipling east the overpasses that have recently been widened have room for those extra two lanes almost to S Platte River Drive.
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