Less than six months after the R Line opened through Aurora, RTD is thinking about reducing the Light Rail service on the line, citing low ridership.
According to a call-for-action Facebook post that Aurora's City Hall put out on Wednesday, the RTD Board of Directors will hold a public meeting on Thursday, September 21, to discuss the future of the Light Rail's recently completed R Line. WHEN: Thursday, September 21 | 6 p.m. WHERE: Aurora Municipal Center | 15151 E. Alameda Parkway | City Café, 2nd Floor The proposed changes would "reduce service during off-peak hours south of the Florida Station. Weekday service would run south of Florida Station every 15 minutes approximately between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Passengers traveling to the Denver Tech Center would have R Line service during the rush-hours, but would have to travel north to the Southmoor Station and transfer to the E or F lines during off-peak hours." There would be no weekend service south of the Florida Station. [caption id="attachment_23530" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Image courtesy of RTD's Facebook page[/caption]
The City of Aurora argues that such a move would be premature, given that the line has only been in place since February, and 2,500 new residential units are in the process of being built next to the line. In addition, 25,000 people are employees or students at the Anschutz Medical Campus, a network of hospitals that treats 1.7 million people each year and will become even busier when the VA Hospital opens next year. The campus currently runs a shuttle bus to the Fitzsimons Station. Reduction of service would threaten future development of the city, the Aurora City Council says, and is ultimately unfair because of the tax dollars Aurora residents paid for the construction of the rail.
According to one Facebook user who commented on the post, most businesses at Denver International Airport open at 5 a.m., yet the first train doesn't leave Iliff Station until 4:50 a.m., making the R Line unusable for airport employees who live in south Aurora. The same thing happens on the evening schedule.
What does this mean? It means that our employees must drive the extra distance to the 40th and Airport park-n-ride even though many of them live less than a mile from the R Line," he wrote. "We cannot depend on catching the final train and not getting stranded. In the morning it means that we cannot take the Light Rail and get to work on time. Increasing the service instead of decreasing it would resolve your problem with low ridership, once people learn about the new schedules."Another comment pointed out that Aurora charges for parking at the Iliff Station, something that is likely discouraging the public from using the Light Rail.
Iliff and 9Mile stations have the largest populations and the greatest need for transit, yet 9Mile is often full and Iliff Station does not have the first 24 hours free option (like other stations)," he wrote. "Do the math: Regional RTD Pass is $171/month + $50/month for Iliff Parking = $221. Can one see why not everyone is jumping on this 'attractive' option? Make Iliff Station parking free for the first 24 hours -- see folks jump on using the R-Line."Aurora is urging residents to both attend the RTD public meeting on Thursday and send an email to the RTD Board Members expressing their opposition to limiting transit options in the city. After the public meeting on September 21, RTD Board Members will vote in October, and any approved changes would go into effect in January. [caption id="attachment_23545" align="aligncenter" width="364"]
Screenshot image courtesy of rtd-denver.com[/caption]
For the RTD Board Members' contact info and a prepared opposition letter template, access the Aurora City Hall's Facebook post here.
What do you think? Should RTD decrease service on the R Line or do as one commenter suggested and increase service? Are you going to send a letter to RTD? Will you be attending the meeting? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments below!