Denver Regional Transportation District's FasTracks Program

Major expansion to include new light rail, commuter rail, and express bus service

Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) | USA | 2005-2019

First completely new 25 kV ac system in the United States

The Eagle public-private-partnership (P3) project is the largest single urban rail project in the western US

Project is the result of a 2004 voter-approved initiative to improve mass transit

Challenges

  • Hatch LTK led a joint venture tasked with providing overall management and design of all systems, including traction electrification, overhead contact system, corrosion control, system-wide electrical, signals, communications systems, and rail vehicles for a project that includes six new corridors and three extensions.
  • Managed and oversaw a long-range, comprehensive program that requires numerous projects to be simultaneously carried out.
  • Managed and oversaw the redevelopment of Denver’s Union Station and the power upgrade and expansion of the Elati maintenance facility.
  • Managed and oversaw various state-of-good-repair tasks on Denver RTD’s existing bus and rail systems.

Solutions

  • Provided a consistent engineering philosophy across all projects, which led to a complete and integrated system for ease of operations and maintenance.
  • Provided construction oversight for all systems and vehicles for the I-225 and Southeast Rail Extension light rail projects, and for the Eagle P3 and North Metro commuter rail projects.
  • Performed audits and constructability reviews for all phases of design to ensure RTD's criteria standards, contract, and scope requirements were met.
  • Provided capital, operations, and maintenance cost estimates.
  • Provided support for integration testing.
  • Performed inspection and commissioning services, including system-wide electrical duct banks, traction power electrification installations, overhead contact systems poles and wires, signaling equipment, positive train control (PTC) towers and equipment installations, communications components and systems, equipment, and system testing.
  • Provided post-revenue service inspections, including the review of PTC software upgrades and optimization, relay house audits for Federal Railroad Administration compliance, Buy America audit of electric multiple units, and integrated testing oversight.

Highlights

  • Denver Union Station: multimodal transit center (light rail, commuter rail, and bus) that includes a 112-room hotel, and numerous restaurants and retailers.
  • The Southeast Rail extension: 25 miles of electric light rail with three new stations.
  • Eagle P3 electric commuter rail project: University of Colorado A Line (23 miles), G Line (11.2 miles), B Line (6.2 miles), and a commuter rail maintenance facility.

Project numbers

120 miles of electric light rail and commuter rail track
50 new stations
US $6.5 billion project