W Line (RTD)
Template:Short description Template:DMCA
Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.
| W Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found. | |||
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found. W Line bridge over 6th Avenue near the Federal Center | |||
| Overview | |||
| Owner | Regional Transportation District | ||
| Locale | Denver Metropolitan Area | ||
| Termini | Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content. | ||
| Stations | 15 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Light rail | ||
| System | RTD Rail | ||
| Operator(s) | Regional Transportation District | ||
| Daily ridership | 8,696 (2023)[1] | ||
| Ridership | 3,174,000 (FY2023, annual)[2] | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | April 26, 2013 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB".12.1 mi (19.47 km) | ||
| Track length | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Number of tracks | 1–2 | ||
| Track gauge | Page Template:Fraction/styles.css has no content.4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
| Minimum radius | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Electrification | Template:750 V DC | ||
| Operating speed | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Highest elevation | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| |||
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The W Line, also called the West Rail Line, is a light rail line in Denver, Lakewood, and Golden, Colorado, United States. The W Line was the first part of FasTracks to break ground, on May 16, 2007. The line, the only line to traverse the West Corridor, opened for service on April 26, 2013.[3]
History
The Denver, Lakewood and Golden Railroad started operations in the area in 1893, switching to electric traction by 1909 as the Denver and Intermountain Railroad. The route ran from the downtown Denver interurban loop, along Lakewood Gulch and 13th Avenue, continuing out to Golden. Interurban service continued until 1950, when all Denver area trolley and interurban service ceased.[4]
Plans to resurrect a railway line from Denver to Golden were advanced in the mid-1970s and in the 1980s RTD purchased the right-of-way to an unused rail corridor between the two cities.[5] A study conducted in 1997 stated the need for a rapid transit corridor through the region, and settled on 13th Avenue as the locally preferred alternative. An environmental impact statement was started in 2001 and finished with a record of decision in 2004.[6] A "rail-pulling" ceremony was held on the 13th Avenue corridor on May 16, 2007, and construction started in earnest in early 2008.[7]
As project costs climbed above the initial estimates, cuts were made, including reducing the line from a double track to a single-track operation from west of the Federal Center Station to the end of the line at the Jefferson County Government Center.[8]
The first full test run of the line happened on January 3, 2013, in anticipation of the official opening, April 26, 2013, eight months ahead of schedule.[9]
Route
The western terminus of the W Line is at Jefferson County Government Center–Golden station in Golden. The line continues east along U.S. Route 6 before briefly dipping south to the Denver Federal Center, where the line expands from single-track to double-track. The single-track section limits headways to no better than every 15 minutes over that section of the line.[10] From there, the line then curves back north along the Remington spur before returning east, following 13th Avenue at the Lakewood Industrial Park at Oak station. At Lamar station, the line runs along Lakewood Gulch, before it crosses over the South Platte River and under Interstate 25 then over the UP/BNSF consolidated mainline on a new bridge, turning north then crossing under U.S. Route 40/U.S. Route 287 (Colfax Avenue), before entering the Central Platte Valley Corridor (CPV). It runs north along this corridor on the west side of Downtown Denver, merging with the E Line, stopping at stations at Auraria West Campus, Empower Field at Mile High, and Ball Arena-Elitch Gardens before terminating at the Union Station light rail plaza.
The W Line is the first light rail route in metro Denver to make extensive use of gated grade crossings within its right-of-way (there were only four such grade crossings on the previously existing network). Some of the route goes through residential areas and concerns about noise led to an innovative solution for the warning system at crossing gates. The warning bells will adjust their volume in response to the ambient noise resulting in 50-70 dB during the evening hours compared to the standard volume of 90-100 dB.[5]
Stations
Four stations along the route were in use previously, including the Template:Rtds station which was relocated approximately 300 feet (91 m) to the north, and eleven new stations were built for the line.[11][12]
| Station | Municipality | Opened | Major connections & notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Rtds | Golden | April 26, 2013 | Park and ride: 705 spaces |
| Template:Rtds | Lakewood | ||
| Template:Rtds | Park and ride: 1,000 spaces | ||
| Template:Rtds | Park and ride: 200 spaces | ||
| Template:Rtds | |||
| Template:Rtds | Park and ride: 1,000 spaces | ||
| Template:Rtds | |||
| Template:Rtds | Denver/Lakewood | Park and ride: 800 spaces | |
| Template:Rtds | Denver | ||
| Template:Rtds | |||
| Template:Rtds | Park and ride: 1,900 spaces | ||
| Template:Rtds | April 5, 2002 | Template:Ric Template:Ric | |
| Template:Rtds | Template:Ric Template:Ric | ||
| Template:Rtds | Template:Ric Template:Ric | ||
| Template:Rtds | Template:Ric Template:RicTemplate:RicTemplate:RicTemplate:RicTemplate:RicTemplate:Ric Template:Ric Bus interchange MallRide |
References
Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RIDERSHIP (BOARDINGS) BY MONTH, YEAR AND MODE" (PDF). RTD. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RIDERSHIP (BOARDINGS) BY MONTH, YEAR AND MODE" (PDF). RTD. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."W Line Fact Sheet" (PDF). Regional Transportation District. January 21, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 8, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."See the history and diversity of the West Corridor, RTD's FasTracks first light rail line". Kevin Flynn's Inside Lane. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.T.R. Witcher. "Denver Opens Long-Awaited Extension to Transit System". Civil Engineering Magazine. Archived from the original on September 2, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Project History". Regional Transportation District. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Project Background". Regional Transportation District. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Transportation project more than a billion dollars over budget". 9 News. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RTD's West Rail Line sees glitches on first full test run". The Denver Post. January 3, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."W Line Lessons Learned" (PDF). Regional Transportation District. December 31, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Auraria Campus Happenings". Auraria Higher Education Campus. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Auraria Station" (PDF). Regional Transportation District. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
External links
Script error: No such module "Attached KML".
Page Module:Side box/styles.css has no content.Page Template:Sister project/styles.css has no content.
Template:RTD Bus & Light Rail Template:Colorado public transit
