Parking along the I-225 light rail, set to open in 2016, was the primary concern for Aurora residents who participated in multiple virtual town hall meetings hosted by the Regional Transportation District this past week.

Residents said they were concerned about the lack of parking at Nine Mile station and what the new line would do to mitigate the issue.The virtual meetings are conference calls with metro area residents.

Chuck Culig, a project manager with the Regional Transportation District, said no additional parking would be added to Nine Mile station, but that the problem should be alleviated by the 1,800 spaces planned at the other eight stations being built as part of the 10.5-mile rail project. The Interstate 225 light rail stations where parking is planned include Iliff, Aurora City Center, 2nd and Abilene, 13th Avenue, and Peoria.

RTD staff say they’re still working with the city officials to create more parking for commuters who will use the line. Tom Tobiassan, an RTD board member whose district covers Aurora, said the 600 parking spaces at the Iliff station could be expanded.

“The size of that parking lot is a little bit up in the air,” he said. He added that the biggest barrier to creating more parking at stations is the expense. “Generally, parking structures cost between $20,000-$40,000 per space. Surface parking is typically between $4,000-$6,000 per space,” he wrote in an email.

Tobiassen says he doesn’t yet know of any developers interested in providing parking for the line. “The fact that the city allocated funds that allow a private-side partner to come in, I’m sure there are lots of people looking at it,” he said. “We’ve got time to figure that out.”

RTD will also hold a public meeting 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at North Middle School to finalize the alignment of the new Fitzsimons Parkway light rail station. The station, originally located at East Montview Boulevard, has been redesigned to follow the north side of Fitzsimons Parkway. It was moved after University of Colorado Anschutz officials raised concern about the station’s proximity to sensitive research equipment.

RTD staff say residents will start to see construction pick up along the entire 10.5-mile I-225 corridor in coming weeks, but that work on the Aurora City Center stop near South Sable Boulevard and Centrepoint Drive will provide one of the biggest visual changes when construction for that station begins in the spring of 2014.

The area, home to the city’s municipal center and mall, is being transformed into a multi-modal hub that will be shared by light rail, pedestrians, and commuters.

“It’s going to create more of a main street, urban feel where trains will be running alongside traffic,” said Tina Jaquez, spokeswoman for the RTD FasTracks I-225 Rail Line Project, of the City Center station.

Site plans for that station have not yet been put up on RTD’s website.