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RTD outlines multi‑phase reconstruction of original light‑rail line, warns of service impacts
Summary
Regional Transportation District officials told Denver's Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that crews completed intersection repairs last summer and plan multi‑phase, full‑depth track reconstructions downtown and on Colfax and Wilton corridors, funded in part by congressional earmarks; work will affect D, H and L line service.
Denver ' Regional Transportation District leaders on Jan. 21 told the Denver City Council's Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that they are undertaking multi‑phase, full‑depth reconstruction of the agency's original light‑rail alignment to restore the system to a state of good repair.
The reconstruction follows inspections that showed rail ties and embedded track had shifted beneath busy intersections because of decades of surface traffic, RTD General Manager and CEO Deborah Johnson said. "We basically undertook a reconstruction of the original rail line," Johnson said, and staff completed work at several downtown intersections last summer.
RTD described the work completed and planned this way: an initial phase addressed vulnerable downtown intersections (Stout and 15th, California and 15th, Stout and 17th, California and 17th, and Broadway and Wilton); phase 2 will cover the downtown loop mid‑block and will require full‑depth track reconstruction; phase 3 focuses on the Colfax alignment at Kalamath Street and will also be full‑depth reconstruction; and phase 4 addresses the Wilton Street corridor. RTD staff said the planned work will affect the D, H and L lines during construction windows.
Johnson said RTD received some federal funds through congressional earmarks for preventive maintenance on the project and that phase 2 and later work are under active public solicitations, which limits how much detail RTD can release now. "We have an active solicitation contract, so I'm not able to go into a lot of detail," she told council members.
RTD staff signaled the work is intended to extend track life by roughly 30 years. Johnson thanked Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff for coordination on permits. She also explained technical constraints for repairs on the legacy alignment: sections of the network are single‑tracked and include embedded track with duct banks and sub‑ballast under roadways, making reconstruction complex and sometimes requiring temporary shutdowns or slow‑speed restrictions.
Council members raised concerns about current slowdowns and missed trains; Johnson acknowledged riders may experience short‑term disruptions as crews catch up on deferred maintenance. She said RTD posts slowdown and construction maps online and offered to have staff follow up directly when council members share constituent complaints.
Why it matters: RTD said the work is meant to prevent future rail breaks and improve reliability, but the agency warned commuters that repairs will require phased service changes and likely bus bridges or other alternatives during some construction periods. RTD said it will return to the board for contract approvals and provide community outreach ahead of major construction windows.
Proper names cited in this article include the Regional Transportation District; Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure; Colorado Convention Center; and Denver Regional Council of Governments.
Ending: RTD officials did not set firm construction dates for all phases during the Jan. 21 briefing because some solicitations and contract awards are pending; they said they will provide more detailed schedules and system‑level service plans as contracts are awarded and permitting is completed.
