THORNTON —In just two years, public transportation will be revolutionized in Adams County, where population increases are exponential.
The Regional Transportation District’s North Metro Rail Line — the N Line — from Denver Union Station to Eastlake in Thornton is fully under construction.
The first phase of the planned 18.5-mile electric commuter rail line is supposed to be finished at the end of 2017, opening early 2018.
“This year is a critical year for construction on the North Metro Rail Line,” said Kathy Berumen, spokeswoman for Regional Rail Partners, the building team for the N Line. “Construction of all bridges, other than the Skyway Bridge, will be completed and all station platforms and walls will be in place.”
She said most of the at-grade crossings, drainage and earthwork also will be finalized in 2016. In all, the 12.5-mile portion of the project includes 11 bridges, seven at-grade crossings, nine grade-separated crossings and six stations.
Traffic impacts related to the development are expected on and off all year. Last month, Thornton closed a portion of Claude Court between 124th and 128th avenues to begin work on a parking lot and eventual, permanent realignment of the road. The closure will remain in place for most of 2016.
“The new Claude Court will swing west of the station and tie into Eastlake Avenue,” said Pete Brezall, project manager with Thornton’s infrastructure and engineering department. “The existing Claude Court will become part of the parking lot for the Eastlake station. We were able to get federal funding for that project … and so we’re going through the process of selecting a developer. We hope to begin work in the middle of April.”
The city is permanently rerouting Welby Road near the future 88th Avenue Station. Welby Road will remain open during the work because the new 1,400-foot route is east of the current configuration.
When Regional Rail Partners begins putting down the new tracks, full closures will occur at three locations in Thornton — 124th Avenue, Thornton Parkway and 100th Avenue — and at 112th Avenue in Northglenn.
Many of the major road closures this year are in Thornton, where three bridges are under construction and where three stations will soon break ground. The project’s only twin bridge at 104th Avenue and a little west of Colorado Boulevard will close 104th Avenue overnight March 28-30.
Traffic has “been slow daily, and seems to only get slower as it progresses,” said Lindsey Spanier, a resident of the Fox Run subdivision in Northglenn, which is east of the twin bridges project and the future 104th Avenue station. “It will be a great project for community growth, though.”
The first phase of the N Line will have 2,593 parking spaces, which Berumen said is based on the forecasted ridership on opening day.
The entire N Line project will end just past Colorado 7 in North Adams County. The second phase is not currently funded by RTD.
Once the money is available, however, Regional Rail Partners will pick the work back up from the Eastlake Station and move north another six miles, building two more stations at 144th Avenue and York Street, and Colorado Boulevard and about 162nd Avenue.
“We’re hoping that we get notice to proceed with that phase two of construction in the next year or so, while we’re still out here on the project,” Berumen said. “It adds a lot of expense to mobilize a contractor on site, so it would be really to RTD’s advantage if they come up with funding while we’re already out here.”
The total cost of phase 1, from Denver Union Station to 124th Avenue, is $764 million. That includes design and construction, purchase of all necessary properties and purchase of the commuter rail vehicles.
Regional Rail Partners adjusted designs several times to cut costs.
For example, the twin bridge at 104th Avenue was slated to be the second-longest bridge on the project, but the changes in design shortened the bridge from 2,616 feet to 401 feet, which resulted in substantial cost savings.
“Originally, that station was going to be on top of the bridge,” Berumen said. “By eliminating the station from the top of the bridge and bringing it (the station) down to grade level, the project saved significant dollars. Besides the cost savings, this is a much better design because it allows for more parking.”
Megan Mitchell: 303-954-2650, mmitchell@denverpost.com or @Mmitchelldp
March lane and road closures (from north to south)
The Sand Creek Regional Greenway Trail is temporarily detoured at East 64th Avenue one half-mile west of Colorado Boulevard for the erection of piers on the Skyway Bridge.
Temporary lane closures as needed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Brighton Boulevard between 56th Avenue and Columbine Street for the continued construction of the Skyway bridge.
Temporary lane closures as needed from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the construction of the commuter rail bridge over 104th Avenue.
On March 28-30, 104th will have complete closures overight for girder setting of the twin bridges
Temporary lane closures on 112th Avenue all month
Single lane closures on 120th Avenue for curb and gutter work all month
Claude Court is being realigned as part of a city of Thornton project and will be closed between 124th and 128th Avenue from February 15 through late summer of 2016.
