RTD Lightrail - Free Saturday 27th.

[gnihcraes]

RTD Lightrail West Line opened today and is free Saturday. Other lines are also free in celebration.

Whole bunch of celebration food and fun along the west line most of tomorrow. Union Station to Jefferson County.

It will be a good option for those visiting Mile High, Elitches, Pepsi Center, Downtown or Jeffco.

I rode it home tonight, my trip took longer over my normal bus, by about 30 minutes. It might faster on bad weather days. Taking my bike along will make things much faster. It was the mall ride downtown that used up most of the time.

DPD was out in force at every stop it seems. (or in the bad areas anyway)

http://www.rtd-denver.com/WestGrandOpening.shtml

[TFOGGER]

My stepkid is DSD, and he was out doing sweeps with his (K9) partner...

[Squeeze]

Yep, and I'll be watching it all happen from the comfort of the Command Center via CCTV. You fellas that go, enjoy the party for me. [Coffee]

[ben4372]

I'm gonna ride. Not really free. I'm coming up on a couple thousand paid to RTD this year.

[sniper7]

RTD aint free for shit! even my phone pays for it....

[stevelkinevil]

How very kind of our overseers to grant us free use of things we paid for.

[Squeeze]

RTD aint free for shit! even my phone pays for it....

Thank you for your patronage. It secures the arrival of my paychecks every 2 weeks. [Thanks]

[JohnTRourke]

really? it's free???? So i get the thousands of dollars I've paid in RTD taxes back?
Or how about for one day they don't collect the RTD tax, that would make it free.

IT'S NOT FREE!!!!!!!!!!!

[roberth]

If mass transit is so great why are there traffic jams every morning, why aren't all these people using the light rail? Mass transit is a waste of material and resources, it should be paid for by the users alone (like my cars) but if this was the case there would only be one line running down Colfax.

Americans like cars...alot. Americans like freedom of movement...alot. Mass transit cannot deliver the freedom of movement that most Americans require. Additionally the bulk of RTDs revenues come from people who NEVER use RTD, so once again the majority get screwed by the minority.

If a person could not afford a car and mass transit wasn't available I think that might prompt those people to become better educated so they could get a better job and buy a car at least they'd be in shape from walking or riding a bicycle. This culture would be more tolerant of pedestrians and bicycles because there would be designated lanes for them and we would have grown up this way so we'd be used to it.

Like welfare, mass transit takes away the incentive to improve ones self. Just because some yuppie in Highlands Ranch can use the light rail doesn't mean light rail isn't transportation welfare.

[JohnTRourke]

RTD: Reason To Drive

[Robby30-06]

If mass transit is so great why are there traffic jams every morning, why aren't all these people using the light rail? Mass transit is a waste of material and resources, it should be paid for by the users alone (like my cars) but if this was the case there would only be one line running down Colfax.

Americans like cars...alot. Americans like freedom of movement...alot. Mass transit cannot deliver the freedom of movement that most Americans require. Additionally the bulk of RTDs revenues come from people who NEVER use RTD, so once again the majority get screwed by the minority.

If a person could not afford a car and mass transit wasn't available I think that might prompt those people to become better educated so they could get a better job and buy a car at least they'd be in shape from walking or riding a bicycle. This culture would be more tolerant of pedestrians and bicycles because there would be designated lanes for them and we would have grown up this way so we'd be used to it.

Like welfare, mass transit takes away the incentive to improve ones self. Just because some yuppie in Highlands Ranch can use the light rail doesn't mean light rail isn't transportation welfare.

So are you going to the grand opening of the new line or not? lol

[kidicarus13]

I agree with roberth.

[sniper7]

I like that Roberth used the word yuppie. It is one of my new found favorite words thanks to duck dynasty

[mevshooter]

Mass transit COULD be good if cities were designed from the ground up to accommodate both regular lines of traffic as well as bus/light rail/etc. But when we just start stretching things out, moving them around, and stacking things on top of already crowded areas, it just creates a cluster.

I remember when we first moved here from CA and my mom said completely floored "You mean to tell me there are still states with two lane highways running through majorly populated areas?" she had a legitimate point. We have a bunch of other issues that need to be addressed first, that almost can't be addressed, before we start overloading the transportation system.

But I digress.

Hopefully anyone going has a wonderful time.

[Irving]

I've been on a light rail; because one has never started where I lived, or ended where I need to go.
I could have used this west line all the way through college though.

[Punkface]

I use the light rail almost every day. it's convenient, saves me money on parking and gas, and I don't mind a short walk.

[Jmetz]

I like that Roberth used the word yuppie. It is one of my new found favorite words thanks to duck dynasty

You must've been born in the 90's. Yuppie was a very common word in the 80's.

[roberth]

How much do you think a bus ride would cost if the RTD wasn't subsidized by people who never use it?

[JohnTRourke]

How much do you think a bus ride would cost if the RTD wasn't subsidized by people who never use it?

less than 20% of the cost of mass (read government) transportation is covered by fares.
so if it's $2 fare, it should be $10

yeah, enjoy the bus/rail/welfare wagon all you want, but stop making me pay for it.

[USMC88-93]

Given a choice between walking 20 miles and taking the bus / rail I'd walk. No amount of tax subsidized mass transportation would make me give up my vehicle.

[ben4372]

I road the light rail today. Not for me. The parking is truly the only upside to it. Slower, stinkier, less practical. I challenge you to restart civilization with the riders of the light rail. Even being free today the train was not anywhere close to capacity. Loads of creepy people though. I really don't get the appeal. You all should have road today, you be mad about the waste of everything.

[centrarchidae]

How much do you think a bus ride would cost if the RTD wasn't subsidized by people who never use it?

Bus, not much different from what it is now.

Trains, probably wouldn't exist. I'm not even sure how they'd buy the land to put the tracks on, without eminent domain. Trains just have an assload more capital cost than buses.

There's only one passenger rail line in the US that even pays for itself. It sure ain't ours.

[gnihcraes]

Yes it's a "Don't Pay Any Additional Fees Day", sorry I indicated it was "FREE"

I did ride today, but wished I hadn't now. I got jacked early on this morning trying to get through an Emissions test and was late to the rail. ~ 11ish.

Took my kiddos for a .25 mile walk or so to the closest station. Boarded the next train which was Standing Room only. What a zoo!!!!!!

We traveled to Jefferson County, and got off to only find out it's a 2 HOUR WAIT just to get back on the train! WTF! There were so many people, the bike path along 6th ave was the line to board the train.

We ate some funnel cakes and called the wife to come pick us up. So much for saving fuel and emissions. LOL

As of this evening, it appears to still be standing room only still, but not nearly as packed. Can't wait to see what it's like on "Must Pay a Fare" monday.

I ride RTD to avoid paying anymore Parking TAX downtown. It's good practice for dealing with drunks, bums, and gangsta's too. :) (all at the same time) I'll keep trying the train for a week or so, but my slow, stinky old bus is door to door for me and faster so far.