The 18.7-mile north metro train line to north Adams County should be built in a freight-rail corridor that snakes from downtown Denver through Commerce City and Thornton, planners have decided.
Officials studied other routes for the train, which will be built as part of RTD’s FasTracks plan, but rejected them because they would cost two or three times as much.
Putting diesel or electric commuter rail on the little-used freight route will cost between $410 and $500 million – a price tag that matches or slightly exceeds the $420 million that RTD has in the FasTracks budget for the north metro line, transit planners told local government officials Tuesday.
In contrast, other alternatives, including light rail adjacent to Interstate 25 or on North Washington Street from Denver to 162nd Avenue, could cost up to $1.4 billion and affect as many as 700 properties.
The freight corridor is the only route that improves mobility, is affordable and minimizes impacts on the surrounding community, said Joe Racosky, rail- study project manager.
Fewer than 30 commercial and residential properties would be affected if the commuter line is built in the freight corridor, officials said.
The decision announced Tuesday means planners will develop more detailed analyses of precise costs, station locations, environmental impacts and other factors related to putting the commuter line in the freight corridor, which runs on a north-south axis roughly 2 miles east of I-25.
Still, a number of other issues must be resolved.
The route is largely controlled by Union Pacific Railroad, although it is possible that a small portion of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway track might be needed.The Regional Transportation District still must forge a deal with the railroads to allow commuter trains in the corridor.
Another issue is whether the commuter trains will be diesel or electric.
Thornton transportation manager Gene Putman said his city has an ordinance that prohibits overhead electric wires.
The north metro study will consider an alternate technology that eliminates overhead wires and instead provides electricity through a “third rail.” That option is very expensive because it requires isolating and separating the track from pedestrians and vehicles.
Thornton favors diesel trains, yet that puts the city at odds with Denver, where officials and residents have favored electric commuter rail, claiming diesel trains pollute more and make more noise.
Staff writer Jeffrey Leib can be reached at 303-954-1645 or jleib@denverpost.com.
