Denver Union Station redeveloped into multi-modal hub

Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo joined local, state and other federal officials on Friday to mark the transformation of the historic Denver Union Station into a multi-modal transportation hub in downtown Denver.

The new bus facility is part of a larger effort to redevelop the station into a modern transportation center that integrates light rail, Amtrak and new commuter-rail lines with seamless connections to local, regional and intercity bus services, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) officials said in a press release.

The bus concourse includes 22 bus bays to accommodate Regional Transportation District bus routes.

"Nationwide, revitalized stations are proving to be magnets for economic development," said Szabo. "This project has transformed the city's economy by spurring investment in the private sector, and has helped Denver’s construction industry add jobs and rebound from the recession."

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Highway Administration provided $87.3 million in grant funding toward the $479 million cost of the station redevelopment project. In addition, the USDOT is providing approximately $300 million in loans from its Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program and the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loan program.

The USDOT also is providing $1 billion in FTA Capital Investment (New Starts) grant funding and a TIFIA loan of up to $280 million for the Eagle commuter-rail project, which includes construction of two new rail lines that will serve Denver Union Station after the routes open in 2016. The East Line will connect Denver International Airport to Union Station, and the Gold Line will connect to the western suburbs of Wheat Ridge and Arvada.