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The Newsletter Featuring Livable Community Items That Readers Value and Highlights of Happenings Along the West Corridor on the RTD West Rail Line Serving Golden, Lakewood & Denver.
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Hello Everyone! This is Bill Spriggs and I have found several news articles, links and blogs that I wanted to share along THE BACK FENCE & beyond in this Wednesday Edition, April 25, 2012. |
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West Corridor, Denver & Region
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TheDenverPost.com
RTD Board Nixes FasTracks Tax Vote this Year
By Monte Whaley, Apr 25, 2012
A FasTrack proposal to link commuters in the northwest Denver metro area to downtown is stalled after the Regional Transportation District board of directors decided Tuesday night not to pursue a tax increase in November to fund the idea.
Golden Colorado Mayor's Blog Proposed Toll Road Bill Won't be Introduced After all By Mayor Marjorie Sloan, Apr 23, 2012 Today, we're pleased to report that we've been told that the bill will not be introduced this legislative session. This very positive news is a testament to the focus and energy of citizens who have made their voices heard on these issues. We were also aided by the leaders of some neighboring cities who were concerned that the proposal overreached and undermined regional cooperation. READ MORE...BoulderDailyCamera.com U.S. 36 Project Invited to Bid for Federal Loan
By Amy Bounds, Apr 24, 2012 Supporters of the project to build managed lanes on U.S. 36 from Denver to Boulder received good news Tuesday with the announcement that the project was one of five nationwide selected to apply for a federal loan. [Below: The Community College of Denver complex will be located about 2,600 feet from the future West Auraria light rail station. The Auraria complex currently has about 30,000 registered students; THE BACK FENCE will do all that it can to invite them to live along the West Corridor]. 
Community College of Denver: Student Learning and Engagement Building Update
By Ryan Dravitz, Apr 22, 2012
Back on January 12th, 2012 the Community College of Denver broke ground on their own Student Learning and Engagement building. This is a very similar idea to what Metro State did with their Student Success Center. This development will be a 4-story, 87,000 square foot building located on the corner of 7th Street and West Colfax Avenue BizJournals.com/Denver
RTD finds merit in Kiewit's FasTracks pitch for I-225 By Heather Draper, Apr 18, 2012
RTD has decided that Kiewit Infrastructure Co.'s unsolicited bid to build a FasTracks light rail extension along Interstate 225 has merit
TheDenverPost.com Hickenlooper: Solar? Wind? Oil and Gas? All of the Above in Colorado By Gov. John Hickenlooper, Apr 24, 2012 The gas station near our neighborhood has raised the price of a gallon of gas by nearly 20 cents in just one week. It's the same everywhere. Gas is climbing to nearly $4 per gallon - essentially a job-killing tax on consumers just as we are beginning to see the economy improve
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National
| TransportationIssuesDaily.com
RIP, 2012 Federal Transportation Bill
By Larry Ehl, Apr 24, 2012
We may well look back upon this day as the one in which we realized once and for all that no transportation bill would be enacted in 2012.
READ MORE...
TheHill.com
White House: Keystone Mandate 'Noxious' to Highway Bill's Future By Keith Laing, Apr 20, 2012 White House press secretary Jay Carney said Friday that mandating approval of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline was "noxious" to the future of a new federal highway bill that was approved by the House.
Grist.org Romney, Once an Anti-Sprawl Crusader, Created Model for Obama 'Smart Growth'Program
By Lisa Hymas, Apr 23, 2012
Everyone knows that "Obamacare" was modeled on Mitt Romney's Massachusetts health-care law. But did you know that a key Obama "smart growth" initiative - the Partnership for Sustainable Communites - was also created in the mold of a Romney program?
READ MORE...
TheAtlanticCities.com
Dems Like Cities Better than Republicans; Everybody Loves Seattle By Sarah Goodyear, Apr 23, 2012 There's evidence of a distinct partisan divide when it comes to Americans' opinions about cities. TheAtlanticCities.com What Makes Some Cities Greener Than Others
By Richard Florida, Apr 22, 2012
This week I've been looking at green cities. Today I turn my attention to the economic, demographic, and other factors associated with cities and metros that have lower levels of carbon emissions.
READ MORE... TheAtlanticCities.com One Thing Missing from the Urban Farm Movement: Farmers
By Nate Berg, Apr 24, 2012
They're growing like weeds, but often growing only weeds. Urban gardens and farms are appearing in backyards, schools and empty lots in cities all over the country. But people with the actual know-how and willingness to tend them - in other words, farmers - are far less abundant.
READ MORE...
TheAtlanticCities.com
Green Infrastructure Could Save Cities Billions
By Nate Berg, Apr 24, 2012
Compared to canvas grocery bags or CFL light bulbs or even solar panels, larger "green infrastructure" projects such as roof gardens or permeable streets can be hugely expensive. It turns out, however, that they're actually not that expensive when compared to the costs of building more traditional infrastructure, and can even save money. According to a new study, governments are wasting billions of dollars a year by not going green.
TheAtlanticCities.com How Building Beautiful Spaces Can Foster Environmentalism
By Kaid Benfield, Apr 23, 2012
Can placemaking - the building or strengthening of physical community fabric to create great human habitat - be a new environmentalism?
TheAtlanticCities.com A Budget By (and For) the People
By David Lepeska, Apr 23, 2012
In an effort to cut wasteful spending and generate political support, cash-strapped municipal officials are turning to a process called participatory budgeting, which allows residents to devise and vote on small-scale infrastructure projects. Pioneered in Brazil, it's since been taken up by some 1,200 cities in just over two decades. READ MORE...TheAtlanticCities.com The Wildly Variable Definition of 'McMansion'
By Nate Berg, Apr 20, 2012
Though it was coined in the 80s, the term "McMansion" didn't really catch on until the late 1990s. It took hold - arguably by descriptive necessity - because significantly larger homes were popping up in subdivisions and gated communities around the country. The average home size grew from 1,500 square feet in 1970 to more than 2,000 in 1990, eventually peaking at 2,521 in 2007.
GreaterGreaterWashington.org Bring the Kids on Your Next Bike Ride With These Products
By Megan Odett, Apr 20, 2012
To those who think biking alone in the city may seem perilous, biking with kids in the city can seem downright reckless. But there are lots of options to bring the kids safely along with you as you bike around the city.
READ MORE....
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International (when available)
| USA.ChinaDaily.com Chinese Cities Sinking from Buildings
By Wang Quain, Apr 20, 2012 A diminishing water table, combined with a growing number of skyscrapers, is causing large areas of China to sink, increasing flood risk and endangering the rail network, according to a survey released recently by the China Geological Survey.
READ MORE...
Guardian.co.uk
Air pollution Prematurely Killing 13,000 People a Year in Britain, says MIT By John Vidal, Apr 20, 2012
Air pollution is prematurely killing 13,000 people a year in Britain compared with fewer than 2,000 deaths a year from road accidents, a major study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has concluded.
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Wednesday's Film (when available)
| YouTube.com
40% of all car trips are within 2 miles of their destination and a short, four-mile round trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe. Take the pledge to start bike commuting today!
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Bike Commuting (TakePart TakesOn)
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Things you need to know along the West Corridor
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>Lakewood, Thursday, April 26, 5:30 - 6:30pm
Matt Cohen Candidate for RTD District M, Campaign Kick-Off
[Editor's Comment: It's a little early for political endorsements for this November, but The Back Fence knows a winner for transit and dedication to serve the public as a innate passion when it sees one. This attributes reside in Matt Cohen who has announced that he will run again for four more years and District M. Start the celebration by joining him and others at his Campaign Kick-Off
>Denver Union Station Basement, Friday, April 27, 2012, 7 to 9pm Final Open House for the Model Railroad extraordinary display before construction closes same. Soon the terrific model railroad display put on by the Platte Valley & Western Model Railroad club in the basement of the Denver Union Station will have to close because of the redevelopment of the Station (let's hope they put in better ventilation and more areas to sit for old and struggling families) The open house will run from 7pm to 9pm in the Basement. Press Release pdf >Denver, Wednesday, May 02, 2012, 6pm to 9pm? History Colorado, 1200 Broadway. DRCOG will award Lakewood Mayor, Bob Murphy with the Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding contribution to the region as chairman of the Metro Mayors Caucus FasTracks Task force. Mayor Murphy will also accept the 2012 Local Government Awards Program category, Planning With Vision, from DRCOG for the 40 West Arts District in Lakewood. Click Here to Register>Golden, Tuesday, May 08, 2012 , 6:30pm to 8:30pmish Hunter Lovins, expert in sustainable practices for companies and communities will speak in Golden at a free public event sponsored by The Jefferson County League of Women Voters. American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th St. Golden, 80401 Time Magazine named Lovins "Hero for the Planet" in 2000 and Newsweek named her "Green Business Icon" in 2009. She has authored and co-authored numerous books and has done consulting work for governments and the private sector. For more information call Ellen at 303-526-7446, visit www.lwvjeffco.org or email jeffcolwv@netzero.net. >Denver Union Station Historic Summer Tours Starting Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 4:30pm - 5:30pm The Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA) will be conducting free guided tours of the Denver Union Station redevelopment site this summer. This guided tour will emphasis the early station history and famous travelers who visited Denver by Train. The tour will also tell visitors about all the exciting new features that will soon be part of, and surround, the historic station. The tours will be held at 4:30 p.m., starting on Thursday, May 10, 2012, and continuing on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month through July. The one-hour tour will start inside the Great Train Hall at the historic station, 1701 Wynkoop Street. Participation is limited to 35 people per tour. To reserve your spot, visit. RSVP here [Scroll down on left] [Editor's note to below: TBF received no promotional fee for this posting. This is part of our overall effort to get more cyclists on our city streets. It is a well established fact that if females feel "safe" on our roads, then more will follow and that means fewer automobiles]. Source: Scientific American
>Lakewood, Thursday, May 10, 2012, 7 - 9pm Ladies Night at Campus Cycles, 7310 West Colfax Ave, Co. 80214 One of the West Corridor's newest neighbors is Campus Cycles who will be hosting an informal "after hours" catered event designed to present information about bikes, accessories and riding apparel for the lady cyclist. Liv/Giant will be present as well as a few local event directors. The evening will include a raffle, entertainment, gift bags, fashion show and many in-store discounts. RSVP via e-mail at eventRSVP@campuscycles.com, or call 303 237-1115.  >Lakewood, starting Friday, June 08, 2012, 5-9pm
Lakewood's celebration of the Arts week starts with a Ribbon-cutting, Arts Exhibit & Community Art Project June 8-9-10. Mark your calendars for the INSPIRE week programs at 40 West Arts! Lakewood's celebration of its arts with a ribbion-cutting and preview of the new 40 West Studios at 7175 West 16th Avenue, Lakewood, Colorado 80214 starts June 08, 2012. The new art studio is located just 0.6 miles - an 11 minute walk, or a 6 minute bike ride from the future Wadsworth Light Rail Station. >Lakewood, Wednesday, June 13, 4-6pm. Grand Opening party of A+E Fine Woodworking, woodworking studio, 7175 W. 16th Ave. A&E Woodworking will become a future art collaborative where artists will share a common location to create their artwork. The location is located 0.6 miles - 3 minutes via bicycle - from the future light rail stop at Wadsworth Station.
The very popular RTD West Corridor bus tours are back!! All tours will be from 9am to 11am on the 3rd Friday of the month (May thru Sept). Each reservation that is made is for one seat only; please sign-up all attendees individually. You will receive e-mail confirmation within one week of your registration. Click here to register
MAY 19 - 20TH, 2012 
JUNE 9-15th, 2012 
AUGUST 20-26th, 2012
SEPTEMBER 21-23RD, 2012
Denver Union Station
Construction Cam
Golden Jeffco Station
Construction Cam
Wish You Could Find an Apartment/Condo near a Light Rail Station? As part of TBF's continuing efforts to bring TOD's to the West Corridor & elsewhere, this link from Walk Score.com will now be a permanent feature. Thanks. |
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Commercial Real Estate Assemblages, Land or Buildings Available on The West Corridor
Please note: TBF does not
own or sell any real property.
Prices displayed may not be correct.
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>4917 West 11th Ave Assemblage
>10th Avenue Light Rail Assemblage
>1010 Sheridan Blvd TOD Site
>13th Avenue & Newland St., Light Rail Vacant Land
>5830 West Colfax Ave
>1025 Ammons Complex
>6990 West Colfax Ave Pad Site
THE BACK FENCE supports a corridor wide, regional vision, with individual nodes of unique "places" within that corridor. We hope that the listing of commercial properties available will help to speed this vision to fruition sooner. Learn more about this vision below from the Center for Transit-Oriented Development.
Editor's note: Due to the greatness of Democracy and right of it's citizen's to express concerns freely, RTD has issued a follow-up statement addressing those issues raised surrounding the Future Sheridan Street Parking Structure raised on March 01, 2012. Subjects include 1) Sun/snow on the north side of the structure. 2) Safer lighting between station and parking structure. 3) Ped/bicycle interaction from structure to station. 4) more.
Sheridan Parking Structure
RTD West Rail Line video flyover (entire line from Union Station to the Golden Jeffco Station.
West Corridor Vision
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Things You Need to Know Around the Region
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>What is the Better Block?
The "Better Block" project is a community revitalization effort that temporarily demonstrates how to improve a street with pedestrian and public infrastructure mixed with art, culture, pop-up businesses and street life. For one day, the project will fill vacant storefronts, create pedestrian seating areas, provide landscaping and street furniture, redraw the street, provide live music, and more. Better Block aims to create quick, inexpensive, high-impact changes that lead to permanent solutions for areas in Denver.
>Friday, April 27, 2012
Come Celebrate the Campaign Kick-off for Tom Tobiassen for RTD Board of Directors, District F, 5-30pm to 7:30pm at Jazzercise Aurora on Havana (near Bicycle Village) 2740 South St. Unit J. Aurora Co 80014 (p.s. Tom and his wife are avid bicyclists) RSVP Here... >Monday, April 30, 2012 Come Celebrate the Campaign Kick-off of Claudia Folska for RTD Board of Directors! District E. Monday, April 30, 2012, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Garciaʹs Mexican Restaurant, 5050 S. Syracuse St., Denver, CO 80237
Suggested Contribution - Supporter $250 ▪ Contributor $100 ▪ Guest $25 RSVP to rsvp@crlassociates.com or by calling 303-592-5463. Make checks payable to: Committee to Elect Claudia Folska
c/o CRL Associates, 1625 Broadway #700, Denver, CO 80202 http://www.claudia4rtd.com/ |
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| The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of William A. Spriggs and no one else. |
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