WHY La Alma - lincoln park
wants to eliminate
At-grade crossings
Dropping the rail would ELiminate noise and prevent collisions between trains and cars, cyclists and pedestrians. Also, More fans using light rail means much less traffic and air pollution.
Safety Concerns
- 13th and Osage (on the edge of Burnham Yard) is is already the deadliest crossing in the entire RTD system with more than 5 fatalities.
- Tens of thousands of people will flood the proposed crossings simultaneously, creating dangerous pinch points. People in dark clothing, especially at night, will create poor visibility for light rail conductors and significantly heighten the risk of accidents, as will people leaving events who are inebriated.
- The bells and horns at each at-grade crossing are 12% louder than young children or the elderly can tolerate without damaging their hearing.
- Trains travel faster than 30mph through Burnham Yard, increasing the likelihood that accidents are more deadly.
Noise Reductions and Community Health
- 147 trains per day—starting around 4am and continuing well past 1am—would signal before, during and after each at-grade crossing. On average, this means the crossing signals activate every two minutes for 60 to 90 seconds.
- The four proposed at-grade crossings are within 10 yards of two schools, a high rise for the elderly / medically-fragile, a new development for families in crisis, and a health center. The quantity and volume of trains would profoundly decrease residents’ ability to sleep, work, learn, recover and thrive.
Seamless Underground Service = Increased Ridership
- Compared to Empower Field and it’s nearest station, the new stadium will be five times closer to the 10th and Osage stop, making it easier, faster and much more convenient for fans.
- Weather and accidents that delay vehicle traffic do not typically impact light rail service, helping people avoid delays.
- The Broncos are proposing 4,000 to 5,000 housing units inside Burnham Yard, along with 7,000 parking spaces. The already over-burdened streets would be free from bottlenecks created by trains stopping traffic on both regular and event days.
- People arriving and departing in an underground station are protected from the elements.
How to get it done
LOGISTICS– at this moment, Burnham Yard is a blank slate. The underground lines and station could be built without disrupting existing service or other construction.
VISION- By far, the Broncos have the most to gain financially from seamless access between La Alma – Lincoln Park and Burnham Yard. Once complete, future revenue from the development in the Yard could reach $1 billion per year, according to some estimates. Dropping the Rail underground is the most far-sighted and sensible way of ensuring that people travelling in and out of the new development—tourists, fans, and new residents alike—will enjoy the world class experience the team says they are trying to create.
PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY – Arguably more important than increasing profitability, dropping the rail will also vastly decrease the danger of injuries or fatalities, and at the same time, improve the overall quality of life for the neighborhood.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY – Drop The Rail proponents have been cautioned by the team’s leadership to “not to spend other people’s money”, yet the plans the Broncos are proposing—strongly in opposition to the community’s wishes—will be funded by taxpayers. This is not “the team paying for it,” as we have been promised.
Please join us in encouraging the Broncos to do the right thing and drop the light rail lines and station underground in Burnham Yard.