Today’s Denver Post editorial page advocates the use of DMUs on FasTracks’ two remaining commuter-rail lines, the North Metro and Northwest corridors. The argument is based entirely on short-term financial considerations — which isn’t surprising, because short-term financial considerations are the only argument in favor of DMUs.
The larger consideration — quality of life — favors EMUs, and Judy thinks this broader, big-picture issue outweighs the narrow short-term factor cited by the Post. FasTracks is and always has been about improving quality of life. The voters who authorized FasTracks obviously didn’t intend to spend billions in taxpayer dollars for a system that diminishes quality of life — but that’s exactly what a diesel-driven commuter-rail corridor would do. It would increase pollution, noise, and vibration for residents who live along the corridors.
That’s why, as chair of the Council’s FasTracks Committee, Judy has advocated so strongly for electric-powered trains on all four commuter lines. While it’s true, as the Post suggested, that diesel trains are cleaner than they used to be, “cleaner” is not the same thing as “clean.” Today’s models are clean only by comparison to yesterday’s. But they’re still nasty polluters that spew carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbons, and other particulate matter into the atmosphere, while also causing unwanted noise and vibration.
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, which owns the Northwest Corridor right-of-way, is concerned that an electric line will require modifications to some bridges, increasing the overall cost by hundreds of millions of dollars. Those are serious concerns, but Judy’s not ready to stop looking for other solutions. As nationally recognized transit consultant Tom Hickey told the FasTracks Committee this week, Denver is hardly the first metro area to find its transit project caught between high ideals and hard fiscal reality. But planners can usually find a way out if they’re willing to think outside the box.
Instead of settling, rather hastily, for a quick-and-dirty diesel fix that sacrifices quality of life, RTD should aggressively seek creative alternatives that would satisfy BNSF’s requirements, keep the project on budget, and preserve electric-rail technology.
Mr. Hickey left the FasTracks Committee with this message: Short-sighted transit decisions usually come back to haunt a city. Judy’s determined to prevent that from happening in Denver. We only have one chance to build FasTracks, and we’re going to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to do it. Judy’s dedicated to building it right.
