Denver Airport station

Last updated

Denver Airport
  A  
Denver Airport RTD Station, from Westin Hotel.jpg
Denver Airport station as seen from the Westin hotel
General information
Location26800 East 84th Avenue
Denver, Colorado
Coordinates 39°50′46″N104°40′26″W / 39.84611°N 104.67389°W / 39.84611; -104.67389
Owned by Regional Transportation District
Line(s)East Corridor [1]
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
Connections
Construction
Structure typeBelow grade
ParkingPaid parking nearby
Other information
Fare zoneAirport Zone
History
OpenedApril 22, 2016 (2016-04-22)
Passengers
201914,133 (avg. weekday) [2]
Rank2 out of 69
Services
Preceding station Regional Transportation District logo.svg RTD Following station
61st & Peña
toward Union Station
A Line Terminus
Location
Denver Airport station

Denver Airport is a commuter rail station on the A Line in Denver, Colorado, serving Denver International Airport. The A Line begins at the airport and travels west to Union Station in Downtown Denver in about 27 minutes via six intermediate stops. Trains run about every 15 minutes. [3]

Contents

History

The original 1989 master plan for Denver International Airport called for a transit line to be built to the airport, [4] and the main terminal (named the Jeppesen Terminal) was designed to accommodate the eventual construction. RTD first studied how to build a train to Denver International Airport in 1997, but it wasn't until the FasTracks transit expansion package was approved in November 2004 that RTD had the money to construct the 23.5-mile (37.8 km) line. [5] The project was selected to be constructed and operated by Eagle P3, a public-private partnership. [6] The station opened along with the rest of the A Line on April 22, 2016. [7]

The two tracks and island platform at Denver Airport station are not aligned in the middle of the right-of-way to accommodate future expansion. [8] However, as of February 2022, there has been no word of any such proposal.

The station was designed by the architecture firm Gensler, which also designed the 519-room Westin hotel which was built above and straddling the station. The hotel opened on November 25, 2015. [9] The project also included an 82,000 square-foot, open-air plaza and achieved a LEED Platinum rating. [4]

Station layout

Westbound←   A   toward Union Station  (61st & Peña)
Island platform
Westbound←   A   toward Union Station  (61st & Peña)

In addition to the two-track island platform for A Line trains, the station also includes several bus gates, which are served by RTD's airport express bus service called SkyRide. SkyRide route AB1 operates between Boulder and the airport, while route AT operates between Arapahoe at Village Center station, Nine Mile station, and the airport. The bus gates are also used by RTD route 104L, a limited-stop bus with hourly service to Thornton and two commuter routes with just a few runs per day: RTD route 145X to Brighton and 169L to Aurora. [10]

Reflecting the airport location, the station has several specialized amenities. [10] To assist passengers arriving in Denver, who may not be acquainted with the RTD transit system, the station has an RTD Customer Care service desk where agents can answer questions. There are also ticket-vending machines to allow passengers to purchase a pass before boarding the A Line or RTD buses. To assist passengers departing Denver, the station includes flight information screens, airport check-in kiosks, and a baggage service desk where passengers may deposit their checked baggage before entering the airport.

The station is connected to the south end of the airport's Jeppesen Terminal by a five-story escalator, the tallest in Colorado. [8]

Public art

The station includes several pieces of public art. [8]

The logs on the banks of the train station are an outdoor sculpture called "Shadow Array" by Denver artist Patrick Marold. The art installation features 236 spruce logs that were killed by beetles. They are arranged to create shadows and patterns that change and shift based on the lighting in the area. The logs are also lit so the shadows can be seen at night.

Slow-moving images projected above the escalator that runs between the station and the terminal. The display was created by Paris-based light artist Yann Kersalé and is called "L’eau dans tous ses êtats" (English: Water in all of its states).

There is also what has been called an "unplanned artwork" at the train station, dozens of concrete railroad ties leftover from the construction were artfully arranged into the design of the landscaping located east of the platform, in an area designated for future expansion of the station.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver International Airport</span> Airport serving Denver, Colorado

Denver International Airport, locally known as DIA, is an international airport in the Western United States, primarily serving metropolitan Denver, Colorado, as well as the greater Front Range Urban Corridor. At 33,531 acres, it is the largest airport in the Western Hemisphere by land area and the second largest on Earth, behind King Fahd International Airport. Runway 16R/34L, with a length of 16,000 feet, is the longest public use runway in North America and the seventh longest on Earth. The airport is 25 miles (40 km) driving distance northeast of Downtown Denver, 19 miles (31 km) farther than the former Stapleton International Airport, the facility DEN replaced: the airport is actually closer to the City of Aurora than central Denver, and many airport-related services, such as hotels, are located in Aurora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Union Station</span> Train station in Denver, Colorado

Denver Union Station is the main railway station and central transportation hub in Denver, Colorado. It is located at 17th and Wynkoop Streets in the present-day LoDo district and includes the historic station house, a modern open-air train shed, a 22-gate underground bus station, and light rail station. A station was first opened on the site on June 1, 1881, but burned down in 1894. The current structure was erected in two stages, with an enlarged central portion completed in 1914.

FasTracks is a multibillion-dollar public transportation expansion plan under construction in metropolitan Denver, Colorado, United States. Developed by the Regional Transportation District (RTD), the plan consists of new commuter rail, light rail, and express bus services. Six new light rail, electric commuter rail and diesel commuter rail lines with a combined length of 122 miles (196 km) will be constructed under the plan. It expands on previous transportation projects, notably T-REX, and includes 57 new transit stations and stops, 21,000 new parking spaces, 18 miles (29 km) of a bus service between Denver and Boulder and the renovation of Denver Union Station as a multi-modal transportation hub.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional Transportation District</span> Public transport agency in Denver, Colorado

The Regional Transportation District, more commonly referred to as RTD, is the regional agency operating public transit services in eight out of the twelve counties in the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area in the U.S. state of Colorado. It operates over a 2,342-square-mile (6,070 km2) area, serving 3.08 million people. RTD was organized in 1969 and is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors. Directors are elected to a four-year term and represent a specific district of about 180,000 constituents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvarado Transportation Center</span> Transit hub in the United States

The Alvarado Transportation Center (ATC) is a multimodal transit hub located at 100 1st Street SW in Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The complex was built as a hub for Albuquerque's regional transit system and as a replacement for Albuquerque's previous bus depot and train station. The center serves ABQ RIDE, Amtrak, Greyhound Lines, and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter rail line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I-25 & Broadway station</span> Light rail station in Denver, Colorado

I-25 & Broadway station is a three-platform RTD light rail station in Denver, Colorado, United States. Operating as part of the D, E, and H Lines, the station was opened on October 8, 1994, and is operated by the Regional Transportation District. As the name implies, the station is located at the interchange between Interstate 25 and Broadway in south-central Denver. It is the major transfer point for commuters traveling from Littleton and Englewood on the D Line to the Denver Technological Center on the E Line and Aurora on the H Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arapahoe at Village Center station</span> Light rail station in Greenwood Village, Colorado

Arapahoe at Village Center station is an light rail station in Greenwood Village, Colorado, United States. It is served by the E and R Lines, operated by the Regional Transportation District (RTD), and was opened on November 17, 2006. In addition to numerous office buildings and corporate campuses, the station is the destination for people attending concerts at the Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre. The station also serves as the terminus for the SkyRide AT bus route, with service to Denver International Airport, and is also served by the Bustang Denver Technology Center (DTC) service. The station features a public art installation of a trio of sculptures entitled Nucleus. It was created by Michael Clapper and dedicated in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RTD bus and rail services</span> Transit system in Denver, Colorado

RTD Bus and Rail is a transit system in the Denver, Colorado, metropolitan area. Operated by the Regional Transportation District (RTD), it currently runs 86 local, 23 regional, 14 limited, and 3 skyRide bus routes plus some special services. It also includes 6 light rail lines and an additional 4 commuter rail lines with 77 stations and 113.1 miles (182.0 km) of track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Colorado</span> Transportation in the U.S. state of Colorado

Colorado's transportation consists of a network of highway, surface street, rail, and air options. While the public transportation system in Denver is much more complex and developed than other parts of the state, tourism and growth have led to extensive needs statewide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Line (RTD)</span> Commuter rail line in the Denver metropolitan area

The A Line is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter rail line serving Denver and Aurora, Colorado, operating between downtown Denver and Denver International Airport (DIA). During planning and construction, it was also known as the East Rail Line, but most locals refer to it as the A Line. Despite its former title, the line does not serve the campuses of the University of Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B Line (RTD)</span> Commuter rail line in the Denver metropolitan area

The B Line, also known as the Northwest Rail Line during construction, is a commuter rail line which is part of the commuter and light rail system operated by the Regional Transportation District in the Denver metropolitan area in Colorado. Part of the FasTracks project, the first 6.2-mile (10 km) section from downtown Denver to south Westminster opened on July 25, 2016. If fully built out, estimated around 2042, the B Line will be a 41-mile (66 km) high-capacity route from Denver Union Station to Longmont, passing through North Denver, Adams County, Westminster, Broomfield, Louisville and Boulder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle P3</span> Public–private partnership operating trains in Denver

Eagle P3 is a public–private partnership (P3) involving the Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver, Colorado and Denver Transit Partners, a partnership of several private companies. Under the Eagle P3 signed in 2010, Denver Transit Partners holds a 34-year contract to design, build, finance, operate and maintain RTD commuter rail lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G Line (RTD)</span> Commuter rail line in the Denver metropolitan area

The G Line, also known as the Gold Line during construction, is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) electric commuter rail line between Denver Union Station and Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Long scheduled to open in October 2016, the opening was delayed until mid-2019. The reason specified for the delay was timing issues experienced by the other commuter rail lines in the RTD system, which currently require a Federal Railroad Administration waiver to operate their grade crossings manually, and the wireless crossing system used by those lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flatiron Flyer</span> Express bus system in Colorado, USA

Flatiron Flyer is an 18-mile (29 km) express bus system between Denver, Aurora, and Boulder, Colorado, traveling along U.S. Route 36. Different levels of service are available, including a non-stop from Boulder to Union Station in high-occupancy toll lanes, and all-stop, which serves six park-and-rides along U.S. Route 36 in normal highway lanes. The line branches out to different destinations in Denver, Aurora and Boulder. The Regional Transportation District operates the line, opened on January 3, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">38th & Blake station</span> Commuter rail station in Denver, Colorado

38th & Blake station is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter rail station on the A Line in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The station is the first station eastbound from Union Station in Downtown Denver and sixth westbound from Denver International Airport. Travel times are about four minutes from Union Station and 33 minutes from Denver Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Park station (RTD)</span> Commuter rail station in Denver, Colorado

Central Park is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter rail and bus station on the A Line in the Central Park neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The station is the third eastbound station from Union Station in Downtown Denver and fourth westbound from Denver International Airport. The station is about 13 minutes from Downtown Denver and 24 minutes from Denver International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">40th & Colorado station</span> Commuter rail station in Denver, Colorado

40th & Colorado station is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter rail station on the A Line in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood and adjacent to the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The station is the second eastbound station from Union Station in Downtown Denver and fifth westbound from Denver International Airport. About nine minutes from Union Station and 28 minutes from Denver Airport station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peoria station</span> Commuter and light rail station in Aurora, Colorado

Peoria station, also known as Peoria/Smith station, is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) station in Aurora, Colorado. The station is served by the A Line, a commuter rail line from Union Station in Downtown Denver to Denver International Airport, and the R Line, a light rail line crossing through Aurora and South to Lone Tree. A Line travel times from the station to Downtown Denver and Denver International Airport are about 17 and 20 minutes, respectively. Peoria station is the northern terminus of the R Line with a travel time of 58 minutes to the southern terminus at Lincoln station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">61st & Peña station</span> Commuter rail station in Denver, Colorado

61st & Peña station is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter rail station on the A Line in Denver, Colorado. The station, accessible from Tower Road is located along Peña Boulevard, the sixth eastbound station from Union Station in Downtown Denver and first westbound from Denver Airport. It is about 28 minutes from Union Station and nine minutes from Denver Airport. 61st Avenue provides access from Tower Road to the station.

References

  1. ↑ "East & I-225 Rail Corridors Preliminary Service Plan" (PDF). Regional Transportation District . June 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Rail Station Activity Analyzed" (PDF). Regional Transportation District (RTD). September 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 31, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  3. ↑ "A Line Schedule". Regional Transportation District (RTD). Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Westin DEN Hotel and Transit Center". Gensler . Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Fastracks - East Corridor". Regional Transportation District (RTD). Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Eagle P3 Commuter Rail Project, Denver, USA". Railway Technology. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  7. ↑ "RTD service from Union Station to DIA scheduled to start April 22". The Denver Channel. Archived from the original on October 24, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 Stanley, Deb (April 6, 2016). "Secrets of Colorado: 11 secrets of the Denver International Airport RTD train station". Denver 7 News . Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  9. ↑ Baskas, Harriet (November 26, 2015). "Denver rides airport hotel trend, builds $580M Westin". CNBC . Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Airport Service". Regional Transportation District (RTD). Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.