Lower Downtown District, Inc.

The "Interim" Destination of the LoDo Light Rail Station

Jun 15, 2000

Some say it's too far away. Others say it's the ideal solution. But everybody, it seems, has an opinion on where to put it-and why.
The "it" is the Central Platte Valley light rail spur, a project (or at least, a proposal) that began three years ago. "The whole idea came out of an air quality study the city funded," says Terry Rosapep, Director of Transportation Planning for the City of Denver." After reviewing the study, the City decided that the spur was needed sooner than later."
Air quality studies aside, most public interest groups in Lower Downtown-from neighborhood groups to the Lower Downtown District, Inc. (LDDI)-agree that a light rail spur is crucial to the accessibility of the neighborhood.
As Joe Dolan, LDDI Transportation Committee Chair, says, "The whole crux was to make LoDo pedestrian friendly?…that's always been the main reason LDDI has supported the CPV light rail spur."
And perhaps that goal-pedestrian "friendliness" -is at the center of what's causing the controversy surrounding the location of the CPV light rail spur's Lower Downtown station.
When public interest groups, including LDDI, first became involved in raising awareness-and funds- for this spur, the LoDo station location was thought to be the Denver Union Terminal (DUT).
"The DUT was by far the best spot for the LoDo station," says Dan du Bois, Executive Director of LDDI. But that location isn't happening-at least for now. According to Andrew Leong of RTD, "The DUT shareholders led us to believe they would allow us to come into DUT?…as things became more defined, they changed their minds."
But, says Rosapep, this is a temporary situation. "DUT wasn't ready to cooperate with the CPV light rail spur without additional funds, but eventually the location will absolutely be at DUT."
Until that happens-and there's no real projected date yet-where will the LoDo station go?
"After DUT we were hoping to have it down right to the post office," says Dolan. "The LoDo station as it is now, is not as close as we'd like it to be."
Where exactly is it? "The interim location is at 16th Street and Wewatta," says Leong of RTD. "We've completed the final design?…it's a done deal."
Wewatta Street is a new street located a block -a long block- south of Wynkoop St (see map). The LoDo station is on the east side. On the other side the turnaround, a location that, Dolan says, can be a problem for pedestrians. "Wewatta is a two-way street?…having to cross that street, even with a crosswalk, makes it difficult for pedestrians.
But others feel traffic may not be an issue, pointing to other locations in Denver where pedestrian traffic is much higher.
Traffic aside, one of the main advantages of this location, says Leong, is the area needs minimal construction. "There's a ready-made mall shuttle turnaround."
This existing feature, says Rosapep, is what "made me come around to thinking it was a good idea. It doesn't need much construction and it won't interfere with DUT construction so we can get the permanent station done sooner."
But this station, the interim one on Wewatta Street, will begin its construction in early June and, all involved say, it must be completed by the Summer 2001. It has to be open in time for the South East link and , says Joe Dolan, "it can greatly impact the accessibility around LoDo as well as all the CPV venues."
Similarly, the LoDo station should help ease the Rockies traffic although the interim location is not as ideal as the DUT. "Yeah, it's a little farther and not as convenient," says Rosapep. "But it's still closer than most of the Rockies parking?…and it's a link we've never had before." And that perhaps, is the best news about the CPV light rail spur: whether the LoDo station is ideal or not. As du Bois says, "even the Wewatta station has the potential to completely transform transportation patterns in and around LoDo-and that's what we all want."