Recommended Station Locations

Recommended Alignment and Station Locations

Recommended Alignment
A recommended light rail alignment has been developed based on the project Purpose and Need statement that was developed in 2008 and reviewed by the public at the October and March 2009 meetings. This alignment incorporates work done during this and prior studies, as well as input from a variety of stakeholders throughout the corridor.

The Southeast Rail Line Extension extends the Southeast Light Rail line from Lincoln Station to RidgeGate Parkway in the city of Lone Tree. The light rail alignment prescribed by the Preferred Alternative maintains a double-tracked configuration along the 2.3-mile extension. The alignment runs along the west side of the I-25 corridor from Lincoln Station to Sky Ridge Avenue, crosses over the Interstate highway, and proceeds south along the east side of the I-25 corridor past
RidgeGate Parkway.
There are four major road crossings along the proposed alignment, all of which will be grade-separated. At Lincoln Avenue, I-25 and Sky Ridge Avenue, the light rail alignment will be elevated. At RidgeGate Parkway, the light rail tracks will pass under the roadway. Both west of I-25 and within the RidgeGate Development east of I-25, there is the potential for one or more minor at-grade crossings.

Recommended Station Locations
Station locations were determined through an interactive process with the project partners and the public. Factors that were reviewed included ridership, parking availability (where applicable), and access for patrons connecting to the station via
transit, automobile, pedestrian and bicycle modes.

The development of a station footprint requires close coordination with RTD to determine how a particular station fits operationally into the system-wide bus and
light rail service plan. Consideration as to how a given station works within a
series of stations, the spacing needed between those stations, the operations
at each station, and how a particular station fits in with the local and regional bus connections are critical for providing a smooth transition between all modes
of transportation.

The station locations and footprints under evaluation include:

Sky Ridge Station
The Sky Ridge Station is positioned adjacent to Sky Ridge  Avenue, north of the Sky Ridge Medical Center. The station will be constructed at-grade and will include a kiss-n-Ride drop-off area. The station design anticipates a high share of riders arriving and leaving from the station on foot and includes pedestrian amenities.

Lone Tree City Center Station
The Lone Tree City Center Station is situated in the core of RidgeGate Planned Development, proposed to be an intensely developed, mixed-use area where building heights are allowed to reach 30 stories. The station will be integrated into this future urban center and constructed at-grade. The station design will provide for bicycle and pedestrian access in all directions.

RidgeGate Station
The end-of-line station at RidgeGate Parkway is the only new station in the Southeast Rail Line extension to include a park-n-Ride facility. A combination of surface and structured parking will accommodate up to 2,000 cars initially and will be accessed via RidgeGate Parkway and the frontage road. As with the in-line stations, the end-of-line station will include kiss-n-Ride drop-off and bus transfer areas near the platform.