Squeezing in a free ride Thousands climb aboard new southeast metro light-rail line for opening day
It wasn’t quite the Tokyo subway at rush hour, but it was close.
Tens of thousands of riders converged on RTD’s new southeast light-rail line Friday, jamming rail cars and forcing some travelers to wait for packed trains to pass before one came by with room to board.
Travel on the 19-mile southeast line was free Friday, and the Regional Transportation District offered free rides on its entire light-rail system Saturday.
Angela Luttrell, who lives in south Aurora, took sons Taylor, 4 1/2, and Casey, 2, for their first-ever train ride Friday afternoon.
“It’s fast and fun,” Taylor said, as the train headed down Interstate 225 from Nine Mile station to Belleview.
The throng of riders quickly devoured free eats at opening-day celebrations.
The southeast rail line, built as part of the $1.7 billion Transportation Expansion Project, is expected to handle at least 33,000 passenger trips a day. The $880-million line took five years to build.
“It’s about time,” said Randy Smith of Parker, enjoying a ride from Lincoln to Nine Mile with his wife, Tiffany, and their 2 1/2- year-old daughter, Anastazia.
As the Smiths drove on Interstate 25 in recent weeks, Anastazia had taken to say, “Oooh, the light rail,” as test trains passed by, Tiffany said.
The Smiths were heading to the University of Denver rail station to buy tickets to a DU hockey game and planned to return to the game by train in the evening.
“The more that people see the advantages of it, the greater demand will be,” Randy Smith said of the new service.
Kay Miller of Lakewood was riding the new train with her parents Mark and Ardis Miller. “I’m very excited,” Kay Miller said. “I’ve always been a huge fan of light rail, and for them to continue expanding lines is a very good idea.”
Miller lives about two blocks from where the west light-rail line will go through her city. The west line is next on RTD’s schedule; it’s scheduled to open early in 2013.
Some riders said southeast rail platforms need more signs to let arriving passengers know where they are, while some departing passengers wanted better signs to direct them to the proper side of the platform.
The Louisiana platform appeared to have only one identifying sign, and it was easy to miss as the train pulled into the station. Some passengers got off there, thinking it was Broadway.
Sunday is the first day southeast-rail riders must pay for service. Thousands of fans are expected to take the new train to the Broncos-Chargers game. Kickoff is at 6:15 p.m.
Following the game, RTD expects large crowds of fans at the Invesco Field at Mile High rail station for the typically congested “takeaway,” agency spokesman Scott Reed said.
RTD hopes to get all riders heading south on trains within 45 minutes, Reed said, but if needed, there will be backup buses available to give fans an alternate way of getting back to their station of origin.
Reed encouraged fans to consider taking BroncosRide express buses from RTD parking lots throughout the area to and from the game.
Information on BroncosRide pickup locations and pricing can be found at www.RTD-Denver.com (click on “Site Map” and scroll down to BroncosRide) or by calling 303-299-6000.
Staff writer Jeffrey Leib can be reached at 303-954-1645 or jleib@denverpost.com.
