FasTracks East Rail Line To DIA On Track For Early Debut In 2016
DENVER (cbs4) - Imagine traveling just 35 minutes to get from downtown to Denver to Denver International Airport. That's the promise the Regional Transportation District is making with the new FasTracks East Rail Line, and right now they say they're on track for an early 2016 debut.
There's been plenty of construction near Quebec Street and Interstate 70. It will soon be the Central Park stop along the East Rail Line to DIA.
"There are station canopies going up around town," Laura Rinker with Denver Transit Partners said.
A little more about the new tracks breaking ground across the metro area was revealed at the RTD and Denver Transit Partners annual open house Saturday morning.
"Each car will carry 232 passengers," Rinker said.
Rinker says the trains will be bigger and faster than traditional light rail and can reach speeds of up to 78 miles per hour with fewer stops.
"There are five stops between Union Station and the airport," Rinker said.
"The overall project is about 63 percent complete," Kevin Flynn with RTD said.
Flynn says the project is right on schedule with people riding the rails as soon as early 2016.
RTD is still figuring out the cost.
"The staff has undertaken a rather lengthy total look at our fare structure," Flynn said.
Public hearings will be held over the coming months to ask people if light rail fares should be distance-based or possibly time-based. Either way they say fares may likely be comparable to the current Sky Ride system, which is $11 one way -- a fare frequent flyers may gladly pay to avoid the sometimes long trek east.
The East Rail Line expansion is part of Denver's Eagle P-3 Project, which will have tracks running to Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Westminster. The line to DIA will be the first to open.
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