Sheridan Boulevard cuts delayed by RTD

Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 6, 2007 at midnight

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One of the budget cuts RTD wants to make to the West Corridor FasTracks light-rail line got a five-week stay of execution Monday.

The proposal to temporarily spare a plan to save $7.5 million by routing the tracks over Sheridan Boulevard where it crosses north of 10th Avenue hinges on someone other than RTD providing the money to fund the more expensive plan.

Neighborhoods in Denver and Lakewood, which border at the site, want RTD to stick with the original plan to raise Sheridan up on a level bridge from the deep Lakewood Gulch and route the light rail underneath.

The original plan, they argue, improves traffic on the busy thoroughfare and makes better bike and pedestrian connections.

But RTD, faced with having to slice an undisclosed amount of money from the project to get back within the $511.8 million budget, says it can restore the original plan only if the cities and neighborhoods get together and find outside funding.

The RTD board's planning and development committee approved all the other cuts on a list totaling $113 million. It goes to the full board March 20 for final approval, minus the Sheridan change. The committee decided to wait until April 10 to see if third-party funding to restore the design can be negotiated.

Members Dave Ruchman and Bill Christopher voted against the list of cuts.

"We would love to see some kind of compromise come out of this," said Cal Marsella, RTD general manager.

Ruchman, who represents the area of the Sheridan Station, said a commitment was made to the original design when it was approved in 2004 by the federal government.

Leaving Sheridan as is keeps two steep hills that are treacherous in icy weather. And putting the light-rail bridge over it cuts down on sight lines for drivers trying to enter Sheridan from cross streets.

It would also make it difficult for the state to go back later and make the changes to Sheridan that people want, Ruchman said, because the light-rail bridge would be in the way. Sheridan is a state highway.

Christopher voted no because he disapproves of one other item, a decision to reduce the standard design for drainage from a system capable of handling runoff from a 100-year storm to that for a five-year storm, a savings of about $5 million. Christopher said he doesn't want to set that precedent for other FasTracks corridors.

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