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G Line (RTD)

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G Line
 G 
G Line train at 41st and Fox station
Overview
OwnerRegional Transportation District
LocaleDenver metropolitan area
Termini
Stations8
WebsiteRTD Denver - G Line
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemRTD Rail
Operator(s)Denver Transit Partners
History
OpenedApril 26, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-04-26)
Technical
Line length11.2 mi (18.0 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 25 kV 60 Hz AC
Route map
Map
G Line highlighted in yellow
Legend
 Wheat Ridge/Ward
Parking
 Arvada Ridge
Parking
 Olde Town Arvada
Parking
Colorado 121 wide.svg
SH 121
Wadsworth Bypass
Colorado 95.svg
SH 95
Sheridan Boulevard
Amtrak
Amtrak
to Emeryville
 60th & Sheridan/Arvada Gold Strike
Parking
Clear Creek
US 287.svg
US 287
Federal Boulevard
 Clear Creek/Federal
Parking
I-76.svg I-76
  B 
to Westminster
 Pecos Junction
Parking
 CRMF
I-70.svg I-70
 41st & Fox
Parking
I-25.svg I-25
South Platte River
  N 
to Eastlake/124th
Amtrak
Amtrak
to Chicago
  A 
to Denver Airport
 Union Station
Amtrak A  B  N 
  E  W 
This diagram:

The G Line, also known as the Gold Line during construction,[1] is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) electric commuter rail line between Denver Union Station and Wheat Ridge, Colorado.[2] Long scheduled to open in October 2016, the opening was delayed until mid-2019.[3][4] The reason specified for the delay was timing issues experienced by the other commuter rail lines in the RTD system, which currently require a Federal Railroad Administration waiver to operate their grade crossings manually, and the wireless crossing system used by those lines.[5]

History

[edit]
For the original RTD light rail line known as the G Line, see R Line (RTD) § History.

The G Line was originally conceived in the 1990s as a rail line that would go from Denver Union Station to downtown Golden.[6] But plans to build the line to Golden were split into two phases. The first phase was funded through FasTracks, and ended at the current terminus of Wheat Ridge/Ward. The second phase has yet to be funded, and RTD has no current plans to extend the G Line further. However, RTD owns the right-of-way out to Golden should it ever want to expand in the future.

The G Line uses the former Colorado and Southern Railway line which ran between Denver and Arvada until 1943.

The Gold Line is part of the RTD’s FasTracks expansion plan, and is operated by Denver Transit Partners as part of the Eagle P3 public–private partnership.[7] The line received a Record of Decision approval from the Federal Transit Administration in November 2009 allowing the line to be developed.[8] Groundbreaking for the line occurred on August 31, 2011, at a ceremony in Olde Town Arvada where US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the approval of a $1 billion grant to fund the project.[9]

The line is 11.2 miles (18.0 km) in length,[9] and was expected to cost $590.5 million.[8] There are a total of eight stations: Union Station, 41st Avenue, Pecos, Federal, Sheridan, Olde Town, Arvada Ridge and Ward Road.[8]

The project's nickname of the "Gold Line" refers to the June 1850 discovery of gold by Georgia prospector Lewis Ralston in Ralston Creek, which runs a few blocks from the Olde Town Station.[10]

Delays

[edit]
Sign telling that a station is closed.

The G Line was originally scheduled to open in late 2016, but was delayed due to crossing gate issues with the RTD's A and B lines. The automated crossing gate system, unique to the RTD system, failed to receive federal and state approvals and relied on flaggers on a federal waiver for the first two lines. After RTD solved timing issues with the gates, subject to Federal Railroad Administration approval, the G Line opened without flaggers and quiet zones in place on April 26, 2019. Testing began in January 2018 and the state's Public Utilities Commission approved the automated gates in March.[11][12] Pending FRA approval of the crossing systems in December 2018, the agency claimed it could begin operations as late as Q1 2019.[13] On April 1, 2019, RTD announced the opening of the G Line on April 26 following approval from respective organizations.[14]

Route

[edit]

The G Line's southern terminus is at Union Station in Denver. It runs on a railroad right-of-way north sharing track with the B Line until Pecos Junction station after which the two routes diverge. The G Line continues west to its terminus in Wheat Ridge.[15]

Stations

[edit]
Station Municipality Opened Major connections & notes
Union Station Denver April 22, 2016  A  B  E  N  W 
California Zephyr
Bus interchange MallRide
Bus interchange Flatiron Flyer
41st & Fox April 26, 2019  B 
Park and ride: 500 spaces
Pecos Junction North Washington  B 
Park and ride: 300 spaces
Clear Creek/Federal Berkley Park and ride: 280 spaces
60th & Sheridan/Arvada Gold Strike Arvada Park and ride: 330 spaces
Olde Town Arvada Park and ride: 600 spaces
Arvada Ridge Park and ride: 200 spaces
Wheat Ridge/Ward Wheat Ridge Park and ride: 290 spaces

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "G Line".
  2. ^ "RTD - G Line". Regional Transportation District. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Paul, Jesse (November 18, 2016). "RTD will not open G-Line or R-Line before end of year as planned". The Denver Post. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  4. ^ "FRA Approves Extended G Line Testing Period". RTD News. Regional Transportation District. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  5. ^ Baumann, Joella (June 29, 2017). "Passengers waiting for RTD G-Line to open may be waiting until 2018". Denver Post. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  6. ^ "RTD wanted the G Line to reach downtown Golden, but that didn't happen. Now a free shuttle is ending".
  7. ^ "Eagle P3 Commuter Rail Project, Denver, USA". Railway Technology. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c "Fastracks Gold Line To Wheat Ridge Approved". The Denver Channel. November 3, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  9. ^ a b "USDOT provides $1 billion for Denver RTD's Eagle P3 commuter-rail project". Progressive Railroading. September 1, 2011. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  10. ^ "Stories Along the Line: Gold Line carries a rich name". Regional Transportation District. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ^ Aguilar, John (January 2, 2018). "Full-day testing on G-Line raises hope that long-delayed service is now on track". Denver Post. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  12. ^ Worthington, Danika (March 28, 2018). "RTD wins state approval for G-Line start and eventual removal of costly A-Line flaggers". Denver Post. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  13. ^ Aguilar, John (December 17, 2018). "Denver's tall buildings partly to blame for A-Line, G-Line problems, RTD tells feds". Denver Post. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  14. ^ Wingerter, Meg (April 1, 2019). "RTD: Long-delayed G-Line from Denver to Wheat Ridge will open April 26". The Denver Post. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  15. ^ "RTD - Northwest Rail Line - Project Map". Regional Transportation District. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
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