AURORA | Starting in 2016, it’ll be more important than ever to stow any type of technological gadget that keeps your eyes off the road when walking, biking or driving around Aurora.
That’s because commuters will have to navigate around FasTracks trains traveling in the middle of streets and crossing major intersections when the Regional Transportation District’s Interstate 225 light rail project is complete.
The 10.5-mile long rail line will include more than 20 “at-grade crossings,” or areas where trains will be mixing in with live traffic. RTD staff say it’ll be a major culture shift in the way Aurora residents commute.
“It’s going to be a learning curve for everyone to get it and change their traveling behaviors,” said Tina Jaquez, spokeswoman for RTD’s I-225 Rail Line Project.
Although RTD is still finalizing the design of the light rail line, Jaquez said the alignment is hard for residents to visualize until they see a map.
“Until you really look at it, it doesn’t necessarily sink in,” she said. “It’s going to be a different commuting behavior for you, whether you’re a pedestrian, a cyclist or a car driver.”
At-grade crossings are common on many light rail lines. With at-grade crossings come numerous safety precautions to alert people that trains are crossing or traveling through major streets.
Railroad crossing gates, flashing lights and honks that alert people when a train is approaching a station will all be common when the light rail comes to Aurora.
“It’s going to be a lot of the same features you see either in downtown Denver or on the West Rail Line,” said Danielle Smith, design manager for RTD’s I-225 Rail Line.
The light rail will be running alongside or in between traffic in several areas throughout Aurora including: East Exposition Avenue, South Sable Boulevard, Fitzsimons Parkway and Montview Boulevard. There’s a mix of businesses and residences along those at-grade crossings, Smith said. In some areas, especially near housing, RTD will work with the Public Utilities Commission and neighbors to address any noise concerns created by the train, Jaquez said.
RTD officials will launch a massive safety education campaign before the rail line opening, talking to schools and residents, said RTD board member Claudia Folska, whose district includes Aurora.
“RTD takes safety very seriously,” Folska said.
The educational campaign will be especially important for those people who multi-task when they should be focused on the road — whether they’re driving, walking or biking. The scholarly term for that is “inattentional blindness,” Folska said. “You don’t notice (sounds) that are obvious when a train comes,” Folska said. “A lot of times that happens because people are listening to their iPod or on the phone texting.”
The light-rail line will include eight stations. The corridor is a total of 10.5 miles long, and a mix of commercial and residential Transit Oriented Development projects are planned for the light-rail stations.
Aurora’s FasTracks line is part of a multi-billion dollar transit expansion that includes 122 miles of new commuter rail and light rail, 18 miles of bus rapid transit and 21,000 new parking spaces at light rail and bus stations, according to RTD.
Reach reporter Sara Castellanos at 720-449-9036 or sara@aurorasentinel.com.
Let’s hope they plan more stops as money grows; Exposition needs one on south side of mall.
Nowhere in the RTD system do existing light rail lines cross roadways at-grade (save for portions of downtown Denver) like they will in Aurora. Just another big EFF-YOU to Aurora after years of underfunding the east line.