Denver RTD is 45

July 1 marked the 45th anniversary of the creation of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver. Colorado's 47th General Assembly formed RTD to “develop, maintain, and operate a mass transportation system for the benefit of the inhabitants of the district," according to an RTD prepared statement.

In 1973, voters approved RTD funding through a sales tax to create an integrated regional public transportation system. During the next few years, the agency acquired several of the suburban bus services. 

"Forty-five years later, RTD and the metro area are poised to experience another transportation revolution," RTD officials said, citing the most recent FasTracks project to be completed: the Union Station Transit Center, which opened in May. FasTracks is a voter-approved transit program to expand rail and bus service throughout the Denver area.

Several FasTracks projects are expected to be completed in 2016: the East Rail Line to Denver International Airport; the Gold Line to Arvada and Wheat Ridge; the I-225 Light Rail Line through Aurora; the first segment of the Northwest Rail Line to south Westminster; and the U.S. 36 Bus Rapid Transit project. The North Metro Line to Thornton is scheduled for completion in 2018.