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SSUE 48 10 ISSUE

WEEK, OF MARCH 9, 2023 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2020

New COVID-19 prohibit CAMP indoorLISTINGS dining,Inpersonal gatherings this week’s paper! Check out restrictions will SUMMER

RTD looking to lower fares, attract more riders

Commerce City considers Broncos windfall Council discusses how to spend $600,000 rebate from team’s 2022 sale BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

An RTD Light Rail transit driver waves as the train pulls into a station. RTD is looking to increase ridership.

SHUTTERSTOCK

the airport fare would be $10, under “...transit trends and data are a modified version of that plan. influenced by seasonal factors, such “In April, RTD staff will ask the as vacations and the resumption of RTD is in the process of lowering Board to release the draft recomthe school year, in addition to perand simplifying costs, with new, mended fare structure, policies sisting pandemic impacts and large lower fares a possibility by the first and programs and draft fare equity scheduled events.” the report reads. quarter of 2024 and if approved by analysis to the public. Throughout State Representatives Jennifer the board. the month of May, members of the Bacon and Stephanie Vigil and It came out of their Fare Study public will be able to attend fare State Senator ByFaith EllisWinter Arnoldintroand Equity the RTD Board study information sessions and duced a bill this year that will allow A long line Analysis of cars outside the city of Brighton’s rapid testing site at Community reviewed and released to the public provide comments on the proposal,” that sameColorado grant to be usedMedia for any Riverdale Regional Park. The site has had to close early many days in recent on Feb. 14 Figliolino wrote in an email. month that a transit agency desigweeks due to high demand. Adams County’s positivity rate Asas Denver metroseason.” counties continue to “...customers expressed a strong It may14-day be onetest way to get more nates its “ozone inch closer to local stay-at-home orders preference for simplifying riders. RTD saw Health an increase in Additionally, even with higher was 15.9 percent, as of Nov.the 17,existaccording to Tri-County Department. ing fare structure. The design was ridership during Zerohigher Fare for driving, data provided by underofColorado’s system of coronavirusBrighton and Commerce City’s test positivity rates wereits both than costs also modified to include lower Local Better Air period in August 2022, RTD shows that gas prices do not related restrictions, the state announced 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton andservices 29 in Commerce have fares in response to customer feedwhen were free.City Accordchange ridership. aLaurie new level of ,rules that prohibits for indoor died and fromtoCOVID-19 related spread of COVID-19, back align with equityhealth goals,”issues. ing To to alimit finalthe report on the program, Huff a spokesperson dining and personal gatherings — a aatnews frommoved RTD reads. overall ridership increased by 22% leastrelease 15 counties to tighter restrictions that prohibits indoor and RTD, wrote in an email that many change that applies to the majority of the According to Brandon Figliolino, compared from July 2022 to August factors affect ridership, such as seapersonal gatherings. a spokesperson for RTD, the Board 2022, and average weekday daily sonality, weather, service levels and Denver metro area and many counties in of Directors is looking at a plan to ridership increased by 19.9% in the opening other regions.of new lines. combine local and regional fares, August compared to July. She noted an increase in ridership The state’s COVID-19 which and lower the airport fare. A threeThe report also acknowledges the in 2008 coincided with dial, higher gashas Photo by Belen Ward been in effect since September, is the set hour pass would cost $2.75, a day increase can’t only be attributed to of different levels of restrictions that each pass $5.50 a monthly pass $88 and the free rides. SEE RIDERS, P3 BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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Commerce City will ask the city’s youth and possibly more how it should spend a $613,462 windfall from the 2022 sale of the Denver Broncos. Councilors heard a report from city staff about how to spend the distribution from the Metropolitan Football Stadium District at their Feb. 27 meeting. The Metropolitan Football Stadium District announced in October that it would distribute more than $41 million back to the cities, towns and counties that paid a Mile High Stadium-supporting sales tax through 2011. Commerce City, which levied the tax along with a number of other Front Range communities, received $613,462 as a parttooffollow that based agreement. county is required on the According the District’s lease severity of ato county’s local virus spread. agreement, that money must go toThe dialyouth grew activity out of theprograms. state’s safer-atwards home orderKeith, — thedirector policy that after Carolyn ofcame Parks, the statewideand stay-at-home order thissaid Recreation Golf for the city, other are considering the same springcities and allowed numerous types of issue. businesses to reopen. “A lot of folks are looking at capital The state recently switched to color or projects or one-time expenditures identifiers — levels blue, yellow enhancing some scholarshipand proorange that rather thanyouth numbered levels — to grams allow to participate in recreation programs,” avoid confusion. Until Nov. Keith 17, levelsaid. red Keith suggested the money meant a stay-at-home order. Now,could level be used to build an outdoor ninja red — “severe risk” — is the for secondcourse or a climbing wall older SEE WINDFALL, P3

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