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NORTHWEST RAIL UPDATE & CURRENT PROJECT ACTIVITIES
JUNE 2009
The Northwest Rail (NWR) project is still on schedule to release a Draft Environmental Evaluation (EE) and to hold public workshops to discuss project impacts in 2009. Corridor-wide Public Meetings will take place to collect comments on the Draft EE and then the final document will be submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the lead agency for the study, in late 2009 for approval. Stay tuned to the Northwest Rail Web site, as more information will be available here informing you of those public meetings.
We would like to inform you about the progress of several activities which have taken place to move the project forward. Here is an update:
Track Alignment: The Northwest Rail RTD FasTracks Project Team worked with the BNSF Railway to identify Northwest Rail's proposed commuter rail track alignment. To view the proposed track alignment, click here: Track Alignment Map
Note that the existing BNSF track and the new track would be shared by freight and commuter rail vehicles. One track would be northbound track that would be used by both BNSF and NWR vehicles and one track would be southbound track that would be used by both BNSF and NWR vehicles. The proposed new track location is highlighted in blue and the FasTracks Stations along the corridor are noted in red and blue icons.
Station Plans: The station designs presented here are the outcome of a year-long consultative process with local communities along the corridor to refine the station concept plans. The figures depict the proposed platform location, the configuration and location of surface and/or potential structured parking, as well as pedestrian bridges/underpasses to cross the tracks and access circulation for pedestrians, buses and vehicles. The Project Team will use these "station footprints" to identify impacts associated with the station areas and develop mitigation measures for them. As noted, these concept plans are subject to change based on additional design analysis and planning review.
RTD has developed twelve different concept plans for its commuter rail stations in the Northwest Corridor. These concepts will guide the final station design of the stations. You can view each station concept plan by clicking on the title. The twelve station concept plans include:
South Westminster/71st Ave. Station
Westminster/88th Ave. Station*
Walnut Creek Station
Broomfield/116th Ave. Station*
Flatiron Station
Downtown Louisville Station
East Boulder Station*
Boulder Transit Village
Gunbarrel Station
Twin Peaks Station*
Downtown Longmont Station (2015) (2035)**
* The starred stations, Westminster/88th Ave, Broomfield/116th Ave, East Boulder, and Twin Peaks are proposed stations that are not funded through
the FasTracks plan, but are being studied in the Northwest Rail
Environmental Evaluation.
** The 2035 Downtown Longmont Station concept plan reflects additional parking that may be needed to accomodate demand.
NOTE: Stations are typically named for the nearest street intersections, major cross street, or the name of the geographic location of the area. RTD recognizes the need for flexibility in naming stations and the prerogative to select alternate names. Station names are to be considered preliminary until final naming is approved by the RTD Board.
The track alignment map and the station design maps will be available for public review during the upcoming Public Impacts Workshops and Public Meetings to be held in the late summer/early fall 2009. To receive information about these meetings, as well as periodic updates on the Northwest rail, sign up to be on the Northwest Rail mailing list.
RTD FASTRACKS VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
FasTracks is jumping online with the debut of several videos on YouTube! See first-hand what construction will look like and learn specifics about the nation's biggest transit system expansion program. Check back for more updates to videos as we keep moving forward with FasTracks!
Click on the links below to take you straight to these videos or go to all of our videos:
Northwest Rail Informational Video:
http://www.youtube.com/v/w2khkmGo1O4
Keeping FasTracks On-Track:
http://www.youtube.com/v/jvzDZ7s-FGs
FasTracks Construction Overview:
http://www.youtube.com/v/3XJWK2oDnn8
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