Ride the What?

RTD has attracted a lot of media coverage lately, between the strikes and the rising rates. Still, the trains only run half of the time north of 18th Street in Denver.

It is interesting to note where the light rail serves. There are more people per capita up north in Thornton than there are in Highlands Ranch, but the train does not go past 30th and Downing Streets in Five-Points.

The final station on Downing St. Is irregularly patrolled, but crime rates along the Welton line have been high for years. From homicides to auto theft and assault, Five Points and the Downing St. Station are frequently mentioned on the nightly news.

It is hard to blame the Union workers for not liking the 30th and Downing station, the trains are frequently abused, left messy with tags and litter.

Why then did RTD decide to install nice padded seats in the trains? Places like New York and London have metal or plastic seating for a reason: it's cheaper and easier to maintain, not to mention it is cleaner.

Someday the light rail will reach Thornton, Arvada and even Fort Collins, but by that time, the running cars may not have the luxurious seats they do now.