RTD G-Line to Arvada, Wheat Ridge will be delayed — again

WHEAT RIDGE — The Regional Transportation District will ask federal transit officials next month for more time to fix problems with the University of Colorado A-Line, leading to further delay in the opening of the 11-mile G-Line between Wheat Ridge and Denver Union Station.

RTD General Manager Dave Genova provided an update to the Wheat Ridge City Council on Monday night for one of three rail lines designed to serve commuters in Denver’s western suburbs. The W-Line to Golden opened in 2013, and the B-Line to Westminster debuted in July.

Genova told the council that the G-Line’s debut, which had been scheduled for last fall, hinges on resolving software issues at the at-grade crossings on the A-Line. Both commuter rail lines employ the same crossing technology, which currently closes the gates too early and keeps them down too long.

RTD has had to operate under a waiver from the Federal Railroad Administration since the A-Line opened in April, with around-the-clock flaggers controlling the intersections while a solution is sought. The latest extension of that waiver — a 90-day extension granted in November — expires Feb. 4. Genova said he didn’t know how long a waiver FRA officials might grant RTD next month.

“Our goal is to get out there as soon as we can,” he told the council.

Councilman Larry Mathews tried to nail Genova down on a date, or even a date range, for the start of G-Line operations. But Genova was adamant that his staff get the chance to fully examine the timeline that contracting partner Denver Transit Partners has provided RTD to ensure that whatever gets released publicly is “reasonable and accurate.”

Mathews asked why RTD couldn’t just place flaggers on the G-Line and have it operate like the A-Line is operating now. Genova said the FRA will not grant a waiver for G-Line operations — not even for testing — until it can be proven that more progress is being made to fixing the crossing technology on the A-Line.

“So basically the G-Line is static right now,” Mathews said.

The G-Line, with seven stations through Adams County, Arvada and Wheat Ridge, is projected to have an average of 13,000 daily boardings in its first year and nearly 17,000 by 2030, according to a 2015 RTD service plan. It was built and will be operated by Denver Transit Partners as part of the larger 2ドル.2 billion Eagle P3 project that includes the A-Line and B-Line.

Last month, the RTD board of directors declined to give Genova a bonus for 2016 partly because of the ongoing problems on the A-Line. In an annual job performance form, the General Manager Oversight Committee said RTD is accustomed to “being lauded as the leader and innovator in the transit community.”

“Now we are placed in the uncomfortable position of having major problems and all are anxious to learn how RTD will rise to the challenge, respond to the setback, promoting lessons learned and an industry standard in the process,” the committee said.

Henry Stopplecamp, assistant general manager of capital programs for RTD, explained that the chief problem stems from an attempt to integrate a positive train control safety system with a wireless signaling system — something that has never been done before in the United States.

“RTD is the first to use this technology,” he said.

Stopplecamp and Genova said once the timing issue on the A-Line is fixed it won’t take long for that same solution to be applied to the G-Line.

Mathews, who represents the area surrounding Ward Station, said he was worried about the message that was being sent to developers who might be looking to build projects near transit stations. Wheat Ridge has only one station in the entire FasTracks transit system.

“We just passed a sales tax to build infrastructure around the G-Line,” Mathews said. “Are we at risk of losing a development opportunity if it goes too far out?”

Wheat Ridge City Manager Patrick Goff said in an interview Monday that the city has created a vision for the station and is “actively marketing the site to developers.” He said the city is disappointed in the delay. “However, we would rather all the bugs are fixed on the A-Line before the G-Line becomes operational.”

“Unfortunately with any new technology, issues can arise,” Goff said. “We are confident RTD is working diligently with the contractor to fix the problems as soon as possible.”