Dennis Cole, the RTD manager who has been the agency’s face on the complex and controversial West Corridor light-rail project for the past eight years, died Friday after suffering a stroke.
Cole, who would have been 61 on Thursday, was an architect who joined the Regional Transportation District 10 years ago and left his mark on a number of projects in metro Denver, including the Central Platte Valley light-rail spur, the U.S. 36/McCaslin Boulevard pedestrian bridge and park-n-Ride, and RTD’s Westminster parking structure.
But it was in his role as project manager on the $707 million West Corridor light-rail project from Denver to Lakewood and Golden that Cole had the most contact with the public.
Major construction just started on the West line, the first FasTracks train line to be built.
Cole, who represented RTD at numerous community meetings in the rail corridor over the years, was 6 feet, 8 inches tall but spoke so softly in public at times that he had to be reminded to match his voice with his stature.
One of Cole’s tasks was to listen to, and try to ease, the concerns of property owners who were having property taken by RTD for the West rail line.
“He was in a position that required not just architectural and engineering skills, but public-relations skills with the neighborhoods,” said Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy, noting that the West line, more than other FasTracks trains, will travel through well-established residential communities for much of its 12-mile run.
“It’s sad that he will not be here to cut the ribbon on this project,” Murphy said. “Dennis was so dedicated to it; it was the project of his life.”
Cole could be impatient, even gruff, on occasions, but Pam Gray, his wife of 27 years, said their children referred to him as “like Skittles, hard and crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside.”
In addition to his wife, Cole is survived by sons Aaron, 26, Justin, 20, and Dylan, 18; a daughter, Shannon, 24; and brothers Mike Cole from Texas and Tom Cole from New York.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent in Dennis Cole’s name to Step 13, a nonprofit organization that works to end homelessness and provide job opportunities.
There will be a memorial service for Cole at 3 p.m. today at the Darrell Howe Mortuary, 1701 W. South Boulder Road in Lafayette.
