Fare boxes, smart-card readers top RTD

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On March 17, the ’s boardf of directors approved a wish list of projectsworth $72.89 million for submission to the federal government’s economic-stimulus program. The biggest budget $17.1 million to buy new fare boxeand smart-card readers for the district’s buses and light-railo trains. “You don’t have to build a road with the said BillVan Meter, RTD’s acting assistant generalp manager for planning. “You need to do somethingg that is spending money on capital purchases that gets peoples to work and can be done In thiscase we’re not we’re manufacturing.” RTD’s current fare boxess are more than 25 yearss old.
The original manufacture r doesn’t build any more of that model. And when one RTD’s own shop has to fix it sometimes using parts cannibalized from boxes that were thrown away byanothed agency. “There was an agencyh throwing them away, and we paid to have them shippex to usfor parts,” RTD spokesmam Scott Reed said. The new fare boxes and attendanrt smart-card readers will offer RTD the abilit y to track what kind of pass such as an EcoPasws purchased through a specificcompany — a rider uses, and where the riderr gets on the train or bus, Van Meter said.
“We know how many people are riding, but the detailee accounting for pricing andtrackingb purposes, we’re a generation-plus behind in terms of that technology,” he said. “Whenh someone boards a bus and flashestheir we’ll be able to track the type of pass they’rs using.” RTD has wanted to replace its fare boxesz for a long time, but neverf had the money to do so, Reed The must approve the list of funding requests. DRCOG has been approving piecewof RTD’s list throughout March.
Van Metee said RTD also must start writing grant moneyt requests to be submitted the FederaplTransit Administration, which is handling the transig side of the economic stimulus Colorado expects to get about $100 million in transi t dollars from the package. RTD’s board divvied up the nearly $73 milliob wish list, with about 60 percen t of it aimed at its existing linew andbus routes. The remaining 40 percen is for FasTracks, Reed • $10.2 million for maintenance workon RTD’w buses and light rail cars. • $5 million for fencew and gates along thesouthwest light-raiol line to stop people and cars from getting onto the tracks.
$2 million to replace corroded metal clips on the centraolcorridor light-rail line through downtown. The clipse hold the tracks to thebase • $9.8 million for early construction work on Denver Unionj Station. • $7.6 million for building bus ramps at some intersectionsalonhg U.S. 36 so buses can avoid lines of cars waitingb for lightsto change. • $2.6 million to extenc the light-rail platforms to handle longeer light-rail cars along the Central Platts Valley andsouthwest lines. To complty with the stimulus package’s requirements, half the money RTD gets must be “obligated” within 180 days, with all of it obligatefd withina year.
The FTA defines that point as the date it cuts the checkto RTD, after ensuring that RTD’s chosen manufacturer meets all requirements, Van Meter said.