W Line (RTD)
| Company type | Light rail transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | April 26, 2013 |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado , United States |
Area served | Denver, Lakewood, Golden (Colorado, United States) |
| Products | Light rail transit service |
The W Line, frequently referred to as the West Rail Line, is a light rail transit service operating within the cities of Denver, Lakewood, and Golden in Colorado, United States. As the inaugural phase of the FasTracks program, construction commenced on May 16, 2007, with service officially beginning on April 26, 2013. It remains the exclusive rail line serving the West Corridor region.
History
Rail transportation in this region originated with the establishment of the Denver, Lakewood and Golden Railroad in 1893, which transitioned to electric-powered trains by 1909 under the management of the Denver and Intermountain Railroad. This line linked downtown Denver to Golden via Lakewood Gulch and 13th Avenue, providing interurban transit until 1950 when local trolley and interurban operations were discontinued.
Renewed initiatives to reinstate rail connectivity between Denver and Golden took shape during the 1970s. In the subsequent decade, RTD secured ownership of an unused right-of-way corridor connecting these cities. A 1997 analysis highlighted the necessity for rapid transit along 13th Avenue, prompting an environmental impact study beginning in 2001 and culminating with a record of decision in 2004. Major construction activities started earnestly in early 2008 following a ceremonial "rail-pulling" event held in May 2007.
Due to escalating expenses, project scope was scaled back, including converting a portion of the track west of Federal Center Station to Jefferson County Government Center from double to single track. The line underwent its initial comprehensive test run on January 3, 2013, preceding its public launch on April 26, 2013—completing ahead of schedule by eight months.
Route
The W Line traverses the Central Platte Valley Corridor (CPV) beginning at Union Station, with stops at Ball Arena-Elitch Gardens, Empower Field at Mile High station, and a relocated Auraria West Campus station. Departing from the CPV corridor, it passes beneath U.S. Route 40/U.S. Route 287, crosses over the mainline tracks of both Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads via a newly constructed bridge, proceeds under Interstate 25, and spans the South Platte River. The route continues westward following Lakewood Gulch to reach Lamar station, then follows along 13th Avenue to serve Lakewood Industrial Park at Oak station. It subsequently veers south along the Remington spur line to access the Denver Federal Center. Beyond this point, the alignment reduces to a single track running west along U.S. Route 6 until reaching its western endpoint at Jefferson County Government Center in Golden. This single-track segment restricts train frequency to intervals no shorter than every fifteen minutes.
Notably, the W Line is metro Denver's first light rail route featuring numerous gated grade crossings, whereas previously only four such crossings existed across the system. As it passes through residential neighborhoods, noise concerns prompted implementation of an advanced warning system where crossing gate bells automatically adjust their volume according to surrounding ambient noise levels—lowering to between 50 and 70 dB during nighttime hours compared to standard levels of 90 to 100 dB.
Stations
The line previously utilized four stations, including one that was relocated roughly 0.4 miles northward; in addition, eleven new stations were constructed specifically for this route. The transit corridor is divided into three distinct fare zones.
| Station | Municipality | Inaugurated | Key connections & remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Rtds | Denver | April 5, 2002 | Template:Rint Template:RintTemplate:RintTemplate:RintTemplate:RintTemplate:Rint Template:Ric Template:Rint MallRide Template:Rint Flatiron Flyer |
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| Template:Rtds | April 26, 2013 | Park and ride facility: 1,900 parking spots | |
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| Template:Rtds | Park and ride capacity: 800 spaces | ||
| Denver/Lakewood | |||
| Template:Rtds | Lakewood | ||
| Template:Rtds | Park and ride availability: 1,000 spaces | ||
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| Template:Rtds | Park and ride: 200 parking spots | ||
| Template:Rtds | Park and ride capacity: 1,000 spaces | ||
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| Template:Rtds | Golden | Park and ride with 705 spaces |