Groundbreaking Ceremony for I-225 Light Rail

Friday, March 1 at 10 am
Centrepoint and Sable Transfer Center, north side
14575 E. Centrepoint Drive
Aurora
Bus: 3, 6, 11, 15L, 21, 130, 133, 153

Local bakeries will be providing free pastries.

Here is hoping we eventually get a name for this line that does not refer to a highway.

I-70 Mountain Corridor Update for Jefferson County

Jefferson County changed the member of the I-70 Mountain Coalition from Maria D'Andrea, a Jeffco employee, to one of the county commissioners, Faye Griffin. Maria D'Andrea is now an alternate along with another Jeffco County Commissioner, Casey Tighe, also a county commissioner. Casey Tighe was elected to that position in November, ending a term where all the commissioners were Republicans.

The I-70 Mountain Coalition is supposed to be researching rail and bus alternatives to travel within the mountains, but it looks like they are making sure that those efforts are unsuccessful.

From the same county news release, Jefferson County just signed a $194,900 contract to try to find money for more roads. The county also wants to raise sales taxes to support C-470, a road which was not supposed to need a public subsidy.

Throughout this news brief, transportation is used to mean roads only.

FasTracks Photo Contest

Every two weeks RTD will be giving away VIP tickets to ride the West Line before it opens to the public to whoever takes the best photo of the West Line test trains. Each entrant may enter three photos every two weeks, and must be over 18. If there are any people in your photos, you must get written releases from them as these photos will be used by RTD in their promotional materials. Please note that these photos become the property of RTD, and that the photographers names will not be listed when the photos are used.

To enter, send photo files to Michelle.Brier@RTD-Denver.com. Each photo must be 10 MB or less. April 20 is the last day to enter.

Please note that FasTracks is not open yet, so please do not enter any stations areas or any areas near the tracks.

For more information: Catch the Train!

Have you gotten a survey card?

District M has a new board member, Natalie Menten, and she would like to hear from bus riders who live in Golden and the western parts of Lakewood and Wheat Ridge. Right now, she would like to hear from bus riders who have gotten survey cards on their buses. So if you got a survey card or where asked where you got on or off, please send her an email at natalie.menten at rtd-denver.com.

You can also send a message to that address to get on her email list. Ms. Menten will be holding a public meeting some time in March as well.

A Chance to Find Out What is Happening with Rail in Colorado

Max Tyler, Chair of the House Transportation Committee and two members of the state Transportation Commission (Ed Peterson and Kathy Gilliland) will be taking part in a panel discussion on the future of trains and buses in Colorado as part of the ColoRail winter meeting. Panels in the past have allowed politicians to get political credit for things that they have not done, so I am not a fan of this format, but this is chance to tell these people what we need.

Colorado Rail Passenger Winter Meeting
Saturday, February 16 at 10 am
Panel starts at 10:30
Belmar Public Library (This is the downtown branch)
555 S. Allison Parkway
Lakewood
Bus: 1, 3, 11, 76

I would like to know why we are widening Kipling when that street does not have adequate transit, something that Don Peterson supports. In fact, I would like to know why we are widening Kipling when kids are going hungry.

North Metro Rail Line Community Presentation

Wednesday, February 6 at 6 pm
Alsup Elementary School
7101 Birch Street
Commerce City
Bus: 48, 72

Along with a community presentation on the first phase of construction which will go to 72nd Avenue, there will also be an opportunity for public input.