Denver's RTD marks A Line commuter-rail ridership growth

The Regional Transportation District of Denver (RTD) late last week marked the 1,000th day of the University of Colorado A Line's commuter-rail service, which began between downtown and Denver International Airport in April 2016.

Ridership on the line has grown steadily and exceeded expectations, RTD officials said in a press release. More than 17 million riders have used the service over the past 33 months.

As a result of ridership growth, four-car trains were introduced on the 23-mile line earlier this month. RTD officials have estimated the commuter-rail project had a "substantial" effect on the Denver region's economy, with more than $2 billion in a direct economic impact and more than $8 billion in an indirect impact.

Meanwhile, Standard & Poor's ratings services last week upgraded its ratings for RTD, giving the transit agency a stable outlook. In a summary, S&P Global Ratings noted that "the upgrade reflects our view of the region's strong economic growth, RTD's good ridership metrics, improved debt service coverage and its reduced future capital needs," according to an RTD press release.