by Public Information
comments open from June 15 until July 4

The countdown has begun. RTD will open the West Rail Line to the public on April 26, 2013, eight months ahead of the originally scheduled opening date. The first FasTracks project to be completed, the West Rail Line is part of RTD’s current $4.2 billion investment in the region. Presently, 50 miles of new rail line are in construction or under contract to begin construction.

The West Rail Line is approximately 93 percent complete. Major construction will be finalized later this summer, followed by completion of the signals and communications system in late 2012. Construction on the Wadsworth and Sheridan parking structures will continue through early March 2013, and RTD Light Rail Operations will conduct final testing and operator training through the spring of 2013. Watch the countdown to opening day on the West Rail Line website.

West Rail Line Bike Event
The “Name the Bike Event” contest concluded on Friday, June 8. With more than 100 submissions, there were too many creative names to pick just one. Roll out the bike bells and toot your horn for the official name of the bike event— “Tour de FasTracks – West Rail Ride!" Thank you to John Golly for submitting “Tour de FasTracks” and Jennifer Wieczorek for submitting “West Rail Ride.”

Not only do we have an official name for the event, we also have a date set. Mark your calendars for September 8, 2012. The designated route will kick-off at Oak Station and end at Decatur•Federal Station. However, for the more intermediate and advanced cyclists, there will be an option to begin at the Jefferson County Government Center•Golden Station. Tour de FasTracks – West Rail Ride will be a leisurely ride on some of the newly constructed bike paths along the West Rail Line.

Construction Update - Area 1 (Jeffco Government Center to Federal Center)
Current and Ongoing Activities
• Drainage work at Ulysses Street is complete and road construction is underway. Ulysses Street will be closed between 6th Avenue and just south of Mt. Vernon Road until the new roadway is fully constructed.
• Work continues on Union Boulevard between 6th Avenue and 4th Avenue; and the on and off ramps of 6th Avenue at Union Boulevard. Lane closures on the ramps and Union Boulevard may be in place during daytime hours.
• Final irrigation and landscape work continues in Area 1.

Information contained in this post adapted from the FasTracks newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter or get the latest information, see the FasTracks West Corridor website.