RTD continues to be a trailblazer, with the broader industry looking toward Denver to learn from the transit agency’s groundbreaking projects and initiatives.
Denver RTD
2 min to read
RTD continues to be a trailblazer, with the broader industry looking toward Denver to learn from the transit agency’s groundbreaking projects and initiatives.
Denver RTD
Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) and commuter rail concessionaire Denver Transit Partners (DTP) marked a milestone, with ridership reaching 20 million passengers on the University of Colorado A Line. RTD’s first commuter rail line has covered more than eight million miles between downtown Denver and Denver International Airport since it began carrying the public in April 2016.
The popularity of the University of Colorado A Line has consistently exceeded projections since opening three years ago, with the line carrying an average of 20,600 weekday passengers this year through March. Ridership has grown steadily since it opened, and in January RTD introduced four-car trains to the corridor a full year ahead of schedule, doubling capacity on the rail line to accommodate the increasing volume of passengers.
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As RTD celebrates 50 years of service, the University of Colorado A Line has become an important part of transportation history. It is the first of three rail lines within the transit industry’s first successful public-private partnership (P3), as well as the first rail line to have federally required positive train control (PTC) technology implemented from the ground up.
RTD continues to be a trailblazer, with the broader industry looking toward Denver to learn from the transit agency’s groundbreaking projects and initiatives.
The federally funded Eagle P3 commuter rail project has had a substantial effect on the metro Denver region’s economy, with more than $2 billion in direct economic impact (e.g., building and staffing) and more than $8 billion in indirect impact.
The ATP board’s approval of the KAP team enables ATP to begin pre-construction activities, including advancing design, initiating permitting, and preparing the site for future construction.
The railroad has issued a formal request for proposals to manufacturers for more than 800 new passenger railcars that will serve 14 long-distance routes nationwide.
The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.
BART recorded 5,403,140 exits in March, making it the highest monthly ridership since the pandemic and surpassing the previous high set in October 2025 (5,346,890 exits).
The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
Crews completed a significant portion of the testing required before commissioning the new, digital signaling system, which will bring important upgrades that strengthen Red Line service reliability for riders and provide Red Line Operations the ability to route trains more quickly, turn trains around faster, and recover from unplanned disruptions more efficiently, said MBTA officials.
