Central Park station (RTD)

(Redirected from Central Park (RTD))

Central Park is a Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter rail and bus station on the A Line in the Central Park neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The station is the third eastbound station from Union Station in Downtown Denver and fourth westbound from Denver International Airport. The station is about 13 minutes from Downtown Denver and 24 minutes from Denver International Airport.

Central Park
 A 
A Union Station bound train at Central Park station.
General information
Location8175 East Smith Road
Denver, Colorado
Coordinates39°46′13.3″N 104°53′29.9″W / 39.770361°N 104.891639°W / 39.770361; -104.891639
Owned byRegional Transportation District
Line(s)East Corridor[1]
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
ConnectionsBus transport RTD Bus: 28, 37, 38, 42, 43, 65, 73, 88, 105
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
Parking1,500 spaces
Bicycle facilities8 lockers, 14 racks
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedApril 22, 2016 (2016-04-22)
Passengers
20195,080 (avg. weekday)[2]
Rank9 out of 69
Services
Preceding station RTD Following station
40th & Colorado A Line Peoria
Location
Map

Central Park station is served by several TheRide bus routes and also has 1,500 parking spaces in a park-and-ride lot, the largest on the A Line.[3]

History

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The station is located near Smith Road and Central Park Boulevard in the redevelopment area of the decommissioned Stapleton International Airport. It replaced the Stapleton Park and Ride. The bus service to the station opened on September 13, 2015, replacing with bus canopies and paved lots, unlike the old area.[4] Train service to the station on the A Line began on April 22, 2016.[5]

Station layout

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Side platform
Westbound ←  A  toward Union Station (40th & Colorado)
Eastbound  A  toward Denver Airport (Peoria)
Side platform

The station has two entrances, both located on Smith Road. They both enter into the eastbound platform, requiring passengers on the westbound platform to cross train track. The station features a large bus bay and park-n-ride, both of which are separated from the train platform by Smith Road. There is no access to the station from the north.

Public art

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Central Park station features the sculpture Balloon Man Running, commissioned as a part of RTD's Art-n-Transit program. The art piece was created by Sean O'Meallie and installed in 2016. It is 12 feet tall and sits on a 20 foot tall platform above the station's park-n-ride lot. The piece is said to represent the "anyman" running to catch a train, in addition to being a visual landmark within the station.[6][7][8]

References

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  1. ^ "East & I-225 Rail Corridors Preliminary Service Plan" (PDF). Regional Transportation District. June 2017. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  2. ^ "Rail Station Activity Analyzed" (PDF). Regional Transportation District (RTD). September 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 31, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  3. ^ "University of Colorado A Line Stations & Parking". RTD. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  4. ^ Vaccarelli, Joe (September 30, 2015). "Central Park station park-n-Ride now open, serving buses in Stapleton". The Denver Post. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  5. ^ Whaley, Monte; Aguilar, John (April 22, 2016). "A-train to Denver airport opens to public, hundreds wait to ride". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  6. ^ "Balloon Man Running in Denver, CO". Public Art Archive. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  7. ^ "Art-n-Transit". RTD. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  8. ^ "The Best New Public Art in Denver in 2018...and Through the Decade". Westword. April 10, 2018. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2024.