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Yesterday, the Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) broke ground on the $1 billion East Corridor commuter-rail line, the largest rail project in the FasTracks program.

The East Corridor is part of the FasTracks Eagle P3 project, a public-private partnership initiative that also includes the Gold Line to Arvada and Wheat Ridge, and a segment of the Northwest Rail Corridor to south Westminster. Phase one of the project includes the East corridor, a new commuter-rail maintenance facility, design for the Gold Line and short segment of Northwest Rail, the purchase of electric multiple unit rail vehicles and the electrical systems at Denver Union Station. Phase two, which calls for building out the Gold Line and short segment of the Northwest Rail Line, is scheduled to begin following the award of a Full Funding Grant Agreement by the Federal Transit Administration that's anticipated in 2011.

The FasTracks program calls for building 122 miles of commuter- and light-rail lines, constructing 18 miles of bus rapid-transit lines, adding 21,000 new parking spaces, and redeveloping Denver Union Station.