As part of the FasTracks rapid transit build out, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) is designing the East Corridor from Union Station to Denver International Airport (DIA) (http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/ec_1 ). RTD has announced that this Corridor will be built with electric commuter rail technology and it is targeted for construction between 2011 and 2014 with the rail system becoming operational in 2015. This line has the potential to dramatically improve transportation to/from DIA, reduce road congestion and provide a reliable way to get to/from the airport in adverse conditions.However, for this transit option to fulfill its full promise, RTD must design the corridor with the needs of air travelers clearly in mind and should pay attention to the lessons learned from other transit systems. Even small considerations and amenities can substantially improve the overall experience and increase ridership particularly given the stressful nature of air travel today.
I have the following suggestions: provide a “one seat ride” between Union Station and DIA (i.e. not requiring any transfers from the commuter rail to an airport people mover train or buses to reach the airport terminal); make sure the DIA rail station connection to the airport terminals is convenient to air travelers; configure the rail car interiors and station platforms to accommodate passenger luggage; provide paid long term parking capacity on the East Corridor and at stations throughout the FasTracks system and ensure that the facilities at Denver Union Station promote smooth intermodal connections between the East Corridor and other transportation methods.
To my knowledge RTD and DIA have not released detailed design information for the DIA rail station but RTD has posted a rough schematic that shows the proposed DIA rail station will be located underground, on Level One, below a proposed future DIA terminal to be constructed south of and across 84th Avenue from the current Jeppesen Terminal. The new terminal will provide additional departing passenger ticket counters(http://eastcorridor.com/meetingminutes/CorMtng11-8_9-06/CorMtng_11-8_9-06_StationRecom-DIA.pdf).
RTD explains that further detail is not offered in its proposal because
“[s]tation location characteristics for DIA are not evaluated as part of the [East Line Environmental Impact Statement] EIS because it is being done as part of the DIA expansion project.”
In the recently released Preliminary Official Statement Dated July 25, 2007 for DIA Airport System Revenue Bonds, the airport also reveals some information about its rail station plans (http://www.flydenver.com/diabiz/stats/financials/reports/bonds_2007ABC.pdf).
“The airport plans to spend slightly more than $26 million on “Train System Projects” between 2008 and 2013….The 2008-2013 Capital Program also includes a terminal complex project that will provide access from a new rail station to be constructed by the Regional Transportation District...to the Airport terminal. RTD…is currently in the environmental processing and preliminary engineering phases of providing commuter rail service from Denver Union Station…to the Airport….RTD is planning to fund, design, build and operate a rail line to the Airport, as well as station platforms and other rail transit amenities at the Airport Station. The City…is planning to design, build and operate the rail station facilities required to provide access from the rail station to the terminal building including the elevators, escalators, baggage checking and security requirements necessary to accomplish this access.”
So between the information from RTD and DIA provided above, it appears the current design proposal will meet the “one seat ride” criteria unless passengers going to Jeppesen Terminal are required to board a people mover train which seems unlikely based on the information in the bond statement. The design of the connection between the airport rail station and the new airport terminal and the Jeppesen Terminal should facilitate easy pedestrian access. For example moving walkways, ramps, escalators and elevators could be employed.I have found the connection between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) heavy rail transit system, to be very convenient and easy to use. It’s a short walk from baggage claim or the ticket counters to the MARTA trains. This contrasts with the less convenient connection between San Francisco International Airport and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains which requires use of an escalator and the airport people mover train to connect between BART and the domestic terminals at San Francisco International Airport. Additionally, the airport rail links to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, Newark-Liberty Airport in New Jersey and Logan Airport in Boston are also inconvenient because they require transfers from the mass transit system to an airport-based transit mode before connecting passengers to the airport terminal.
The rail cars on the East Corridor should be designed to accommodate luggage with luggage racks and floor space suitable for larger luggage. Additionally, East Corridor rail stations should have ramps and elevators leading to elevated platforms so that passengers can easily get their luggage from the street level onto the rail cars without ever climbing up any steps. Union Station itself should be designed to provide quick, easy connections between different transportation modes including light rail, commuter rail, buses and other modes.
Finally an important amenity which can be used to attract riders to the FasTracks airport rail link is to offer paid long term parking at rail stops. RTD is planning to have more than 3,000 parking spots at four different park and ride stations on the East Corridor. (see http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/media/maps/index.html for details). I am not sure how many, if any spaces, will be available for long-term, overnight use by air passengers. Obviously priority should be given to daily users who park at the stations during work-day commutes. However, in the context of appropriate land use considerations, RTD should provide long-term parking spaces to attract airport passengers.
The BART connection to San Francisco International Airport has not met its ridership expectations since its opening in 2003. However, the system is now offering long term parking at stations near the airport in an effort to increase ridership. (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/13/BAG5CR00AJ1.DTL&hw=BART+SFO+Parking&sn=008&sc=497) . RTD should follow this idea and provide paid long-term parking spaces on FasTracks at East Corridor stations and stations on other connecting corridors where feasible.
The Denver Metro Area will maximize the benefits from the East Corridor as long as common sense design decisions are made which provide a comfortable and convenient experience to air travelers.
All images in this blog entry are from the RTD FasTracks web site http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/ except images of the Plane taking off and the DIA terminal which are Courtesy of Denver International Airport http://www.flydenver.com/.
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2 comments:
You make some good points about design of both the Airport station and railcar design for the East Corridor, as well as comparisons to other rail connections at airports. But its important to note that the East Corridor will be commuter rail, not light rail like RTD's existing system. Because of that, the most appropriate comparisons for the East Corridor are: the Long Island Railroad's connection to JFK via the Airtrain, SEPTA's Regional Rail line to Philadelphia International, the MARC train BWI Airport Rail station, Tri-Rail's Fort Lauderdale and Miami airport stations, the Trinity Railway Express' DFW station and the Los Angeles Metrolink's Burbank-Bob Hope Airport station. These comparisons are more appropriate than light rail or heavy rail/metro examples because the modes are different in their operating conditions. For example, light rail and metro systems can be weaved into tighter turning radii and smaller station sites than commuter rail.
From the plans released so far, it appears the East Corridor will be most similar to SEPTA's Regional Rail line to the airport, which offers pretty convenient connections to the various terminals and a 30-minute, one-seat trip from downtown Philadelphia to the final airport terminal. The East Corridor service should be more accessible and convenient than all the other commuter rail connections I listed and equally as convenient as SEPTA's route.
Lastly, you were indeed correct to include a photo of the railcars used by Montreal's Dexu Montagnes line (built by Bombardier). The East Corridor equipment will be quite similar to those vehicles. Hopefully they will indeed incorporate appropriate areas for luggage storage and wide aisles for airport travelers beyond the traditional commuter rail seat configurations. High-level platforms are a must for easy boarding.
You make some good points about design of both the Airport station and railcar design for the East Corridor, as well as comparisons to other rail connections at airports. But its important to note that the East Corridor will be commuter rail, not light rail like RTD's existing system. Because of that, the most appropriate comparisons for the East Corridor are: the Long Island Railroad's connection to JFK via the Airtrain, SEPTA's Regional Rail line to Philadelphia International, the MARC train BWI Airport Rail station, Tri-Rail's Fort Lauderdale and Miami airport stations, the Trinity Railway Express' DFW station and the Los Angeles Metrolink's Burbank-Bob Hope Airport station. These comparisons are more appropriate than light rail or heavy rail/metro examples because the modes are different in their operating conditions. For example, light rail and metro systems can be weaved into tighter turning radii and smaller station sites than commuter rail.
From the plans released so far, it appears the East Corridor will be most similar to SEPTA's Regional Rail line to the airport, which offers pretty convenient connections to the various terminals and a 30-minute, one-seat trip from downtown Philadelphia to the final airport terminal. The East Corridor service should be more accessible and convenient than all the other commuter rail connections I listed and equally as convenient as SEPTA's route.
Lastly, you were indeed correct to include a photo of the railcars used by Montreal's Dexu Montagnes line (built by Bombardier). The East Corridor equipment will be quite similar to those vehicles. Hopefully they will indeed incorporate appropriate areas for luggage storage and wide aisles for airport travelers beyond the traditional commuter rail seat configurations. High-level platforms are a must for easy boarding.
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