FTA 05-05
Contact: Paul Griffo, Tel.: (202) 366-4043
Thursday, February 10, 2005
New U.S. DOT Grant to Fund More Stops and More Trains for Denver Rail System
Residents of Denver, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties will benefit from expanded
rail service as the result of a $19.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration, Transportation Secretary Norman
Y. Mineta announced today.
“We’re putting Denver on track to get more people to work, more shoppers to
stores and more families to their homes,” said Secretary Mineta. “President Bush
understands that investing in local transportation systems is one of the best
ways to ease congestion and connect communities to the rapidly expanding
economy.”
The Regional Transportation District will use the grant for its Southeast line,
a 19.1-mile rail extension that will serve the rapidly growing residential and
commercial areas of southeast Denver. The new line will bring new transportation
options downtown Denver and its southwest suburbs.
The Southeast line will operate along I-25/Broadway in downtown Denver to
Lincoln Avenue in Douglas County with an additional connection from Interstate
225 to Parker Road in Arapahoe County. With 13 stations along its route, it will
also link to the existing Central and Southwest lines, which provide service to
Invesco Field at Mile High, Pepsi Center, Denver Union Terminal and Denver’s
southwest suburbs.
In addition to building a new line, The Regional Transportation District will
also use the funding to add 34 new rail cars to its rail system and construct 12
new parking lots. The Southeast line will begin revenue service in December 2008
serving 38,100 people daily, including 12,900 new riders.
-END-
Briefing
Room
