RTD (Denver Metro) is having public about the budget shortfall

Denver Metro area transit needs $18 million just to keep the service that we have now. Meanwhile, a $20 billion project to widen one area highway looks like it will get federal dollars. Luckily, we do have an opportunity to make our voices heard. RTD is holding public meetings about the proposed fare increase. Perhaps together we can figure out a way to come up with the money.

Here is the schedule by date:

Monday, September 13 - all 6 pm

Aurora

Aurora Center for Active Adults

30 Del Mar Circle

Bus Routes: 6 (hourly at night) and 121 (every half hour)

Littleton

Ken-Caryl Ranch House Recreation Center

7676 S. Continental Divide Road

Bus Routes: 401 (last bus at 8:18 going east, last buses at 8:59 and 10:29 going west)

Westminster

City Park Recreation Center

10455 Sheridan Boulevard

Bus routes: 104 (last bus at 7:20 going east, last bus at 7:13 going west) Usually, I would not recommend a bus that stops so early, but the 51 stops serving this location even earlier. There are no other choices.

Wednesday, September 15 - 6 pm

Englewood

Englewood Civic Center (right next to Englewood Station)

1000 Englewood Parkway

Light Rail: D (every fifteen minutes)

Bus Routes: 0 (every fifteen minutes), 12 (hourly), 51 (hourly)

The 27 and 35 also stop here, but may stop running too early to be useful.

Thursday, September 16 - 6pm

Denver

Park Hill Golf Club

4141 E. 35th Avenue (May actually be on Colorado Boulevard.)

Bus Routes: 40 (every fifteen minutes), 44 (hourly), 24 (every half hour until 8:24, last bus at 9:24)

Denver (again)

RTD offices

1600 Blake Street (above Market Street Station)

Bus Routes: all that go downtown, take the free downtown shuttle from light rail

Northglenn

Northglenn Recreation Center

11801 Community Center Drive

Bus Routes: Depends on whether or not this location is walkable from the Wagon Road ParknRide. According to Google Maps, the nearest bus route is the 7. I will need to research further.

Monday, September 20 - various times

Boulder - 6pm

West Boulder Senior Center

909 Arapahoe Road

Bus Routes: JUMP (every half hour). The B, SKIP, DASH, 204, and 203 all stop within walking distance.

Lakewood - 7pm (note that this meeting starts later than most of the others)

Clements Community Center

1580 Yarrow Street

Bus Routes: 16/16L (every fifteen to twenty minutes), 76 (every half hour)

There is a short walk from the bus stops to the community center.

Longmont - 6pm

Longmont Senior Center

910 Longs Peak Avenue

Bus Routes: As far as I can tell, the only bus that runs in Longmont in the evening is the Boulder/Longmont bus, the BOLT. It runs hourly.

Wednesday, September 22 - 6pm

Arvada

The Apex Center

13150 W. 72nd Avenue

Bus Routes: none?

Aurora (Second Meeting)

Heather Gardens Community Center

2888 S. Heather Gardens Way

Bus Routes: none? Is the 130 in walking distance?

Littleton

Douglas H. Buck Community Recreation Center

2004 W. Powers Avenue

Light Rail: D (every fifteen minutes). You have to walk out of the station area and then across the tracks.

Bus Route: 66 (every half hour) This is the route that runs closest to the center, but any route that runs to Littleton Station is within walking distance. Just remember that most buses stop south of the station and that the center is north and east of the tracks.

Thursday, September 23 - 6pm

Denver

Quigg Newton Senior Center

4430 Navajo Street

Bus Routes: 6 (every half hour until 7:58, hourly until 10:58), 52 (hourly) Both buses stop on W. 46th and on Lipan, two to three blocks away.

Parker

Parker Recreation Center

17301 E. Lincoln Avenue

Bus Routes: none?

Friday, September 24 - noon

Denver

RTD Offices (second meeting)

1600 Blake

Bus Routes: all that go downtown. Take the free downtown shuttle from the light rail.

Well, we now know that the RTD planners are not taking the bus to these events.