Campus & Community / Magazine Feature

Upon arrival: light-rail fast facts

What: The southeast light-rail extension opens Nov. 17 with four new lines (E, F, G and H) and 13 new stations from Broadway to Lincoln Avenue. 

Where: The University of Denver Station is north of Buchtel Boulevard at High Street. 

What’s happening and when: An event celebrating the opening of the new lines will be at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 17 at the Lincoln station. Public ridership will begin about 11 a.m., and it will be free on the southeast line until midnight. On Nov. 18, service on the entire light-rail system will be free from 6 a.m. to midnight. 

Cost to ride: The RTD Pass is available free for most fulltime DU students and the EcoPass is available for benefited faculty and staff. Otherwise, one-way fares range from $1.50 to $3.75, depending on how far you travel. Discount fares and monthly passes are available. 

Facts: The official name of the station near DU is the University of Denver Station, not the University Station. The platform canopies, benches, light poles, stairwells — even the newspaper racks — were painted crimson in honor of DU’s school colors. Canopies and benches at other new stations are white or green. The University paid about $7,500 for the paint and other changes important to the University, including copper siding on the retail part of the garage and relocation of a stairwell. The windscreens and handrails are a theme called “academics/ orbits,” representing spheres in orbit. The arcing lines of balls on the south wall of the parking garage are called U-Spheres. The wall of blue words adorning the concrete wall on the south side of the RTD station is a list of verbs chosen by artist Jon Goe to represent the character development of a human being. Goe was formerly an adjunct professor at DU. 

Events: On Nov. 18, most stations, including the University of Denver Station, will host public events from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The DU celebration is sponsored by the University and area restaurants, which will be donating food. The event will feature carnival games for children and music from radio station Jack FM. 

Information: Call the DU Transportation Office in the Driscoll Student Center at 303-871-7433 or Transportation Solutions at 303-377-7086. Or visit www.southeastlightrail.com or www.rtd-denver.com.

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