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THE BACK FENCE NEWSLETTER
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, May 16, 2012. |
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West Corridor, Denver & Region
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Name the Bike Event Contest
The RTD FasTracks West Rail Line is having a contest to name a bicycle event.
OMG, the RTD bureaucrats are thinking funky and fun? What's next? Profitability? Just Joking -- I know that's a sensitive spot.
But, see what happens when you ride a bicycle? Not only do you know you're performing the most efficient form of transportation, you also have this incredible sense of self-awareness of your surroundings which connects you to the community more than driving a car. And, the best part is that you know you're contributing to what builds livable communities. Nice Idea, RTD! Click here to Name the Bike Event Contest.
Currently, this is the only bicycle path map available for the West Rail Line
>Lakewood, Thursday, May 24, 2012, 6pm.
RTD and Swinerton Builders will hold a public meeting to show final designs for the Sheridan Parking Structure; a pre-construction briefing with Q & A will follow. Mountair Christian Church, 1390 Benton Street. Q? Call Nanci Kerr, 303-592-1122
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National
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Politico.com
Too Little is Spent on Transportation
By Rep. Peter DeFazio, May 13, 2012 It's impossible to envision the United States without its transportation system.
READ MORE... TransportationIssuesDaily.com
House, Senate Negotiators Discuss Federal Transportation Bill By Larry Ehl, May 13, 2012
House and Senate negotiators met last week in a largely perfunctory, ceremonial meeting to kick off talks about a new federal transportation bill. Still, there is much good news to report.READ MORE...TransportationNation.org
Shuster: President Will Sign Transpo Bill In the Fall By Andrea Bernstein, May 14, 2012
Congress member Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, & Hazardous Materials, predicts President Barack Obama will sign a transportation bill - with a provision to build the Keystone Pipeline included - in September or October.
TheNewYorkTimes.com
Operating in the Dark
Editorial, May 13, 2012
The Web site of Representative Daniel Webster, Republican of Florida, instructs visitors to click on a link for "Census data for the 8th district" to learn about the area's economy, businesses, income, employment, homeownership and other important features. And yet, on Wednesday, Mr. Webster declared that the Census Bureau's American Community Survey - the source for much of that data - is an unconstitutional breach of privacy.
READ MORE...
Politico.com
Nation's Potholes Need a Big Fix By Kathryn Wolfe, May 13, 2012
The nation's population is growing at a steady pace, yet infrastructure investments lag. The lifelines of commerce - roads, bridges, runways, ports - are showing their age, and in this era of fiscal austerity it may be a long time before they get rebuilt.
Grist.org
Number of Bicycle-Friendly Cities Soars
By Andrew Zaleski, May 14, 2012
Once was that American cities competed to look more like Detroit, with gleaming lanes of highway stretching as far as the eye could see. Any more, it's a race to imitate Copenhagen, the Danish capital where 36 percent of residents commute to work via bicycle.
TheAtlanticCities.com
Walk Score Launches Bike Score
By Sarah Goodyear, May 14, 2012
Walk Score recently added a Transit Score to specifically rate transit access in 25 U.S. cities. And today, acknowledging the growing importance of biking as a means of transportation (and perfectly timed for National Bike Month and the various Bike to Work Days being celebrated all over the country this week), they launched a beta version of Bike Score.
READ MORE...
DC.StreetsBlog.org
RAND: Car-Sharing Could Cut Carbon Emissions From Cars By 1.7 Percent
By Tanya Snyder, May 15, 2012 The brilliant thing about car-sharing is that it leads people to drive less by providing access to cars. It allows people to give up their personal vehicles (along with the gas, maintenance, parking, and insurance costs they entail) without giving up the ability to use the car once in a while when necessary.
Good.is
Public Transportation Systems Are Leaving People With Disabilities Behind By Sarah Laskow, May 10, 2012 To use New York City's paratransit service -- the on-demand public transportation system for people who can't use the bus or the subway system-a customer must call one to two days in advance, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. READ MORE...TheAtlanticCities.com
Why Seniors, Children, and the Poor Are at Greater Risk of Traffic Deaths By Sarah Goodyear, May 15, 2012 It's no secret that being poor is bad for your health. Poor people in the United States run a greater risk of suffering from severe asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and many other illnesses. They're also more likely to get hit and injured or killed by drivers. TheAtlanticCities.comDid Parking Meters Just Get Too Smart? By Nate Berg, May 15, 2012 This week, the on-street parking meters in Santa Monica, California, have evolved to the next state of sentient existence. Now, whenever a car leaves a spot, the meter will reset itself, even if there's still time left on the meter. The tiny, measured-in-minutes lottery prize of the urban driver is no more. READ MORE...
Grist.org Clean Energy as Culture War By David Roberts May 14, 2012 Not that long ago, some folks were arguing that clean energy -- unlike climate change, which had been irredeemably stained by partisanship (eww!) - would bring people together across ideological lines. Persuaded by the irrefutable wisdom of wonks, we would join hands across the aisle to promote common-sense solutions. It wouldn't be partisan, it would be ... post-partisan. READ MORE...
TheAtlanticCities.comBest Places for New College Grads, 2012 [Boulder - #14] By Richard Florida, May 14, 2012 Though the economy is showing signs of life, the job market for new college graduates is still extremely tough. A daunting figure - three million new grads competing for one million jobs - has been widely reported, as has the fact that more than half of recent grads are unemployed or under-employed READ MORE...
Mashable.com By Kate Freeman, May 14, 2012 Should texting while walking be illegal? That's the question being raised on Monday after multiple news outlets reported the town of Fort Lee in New Jersey had banned the act.
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International (when available)
| TheAtlanticCities.com
Why There's No War Between Drivers and Cyclists in the Netherlands
By Sarah Goodyear, May 08, 2012
Bicycling is such an integral part of life in the Netherlands, you might think that Dutch people are born knowing how to cycle.
They aren't, of course. What's kind of wonderful is the way that they learn.
READ MORE...ThePolisBlog.org
The Changing Face of Urban Farming in London By Idroma Montgomery, May 13, 2012
Recently I've noticed that London embraces urban farming in a way I haven't seen in other cities...[it] offers a study in how to effectively utilize small amounts of urban space.
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Wednesday's Film (when available)
| Utilitycycling.org
By Melanie Colavito, May 14, 2012
Want to start your week off right? Well, I suggest you check out this video from Dublin, Ireland, of a bicycle flashmob made up of smiling, happy kids on bikes!
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Things you need to know along the West Corridor
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>Denver Union Station Light Rail Plaza Friday, May 18, 2012 11:30am to 1:00pm The Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA) and Regional Transportation District (RTD) will hold a lunch time Grand Opening Celebration for the Light Rail Plaza at Denver Union Station. Live entertainment starts on the Plaza at 11:30 p.m. with a short program to be held at 12:30 p.m. Since there will be no tax hike this year on the ballot, the public is welcome, but DUPA requests you bring your own brown bag lunch. (I'm just joking with that last sentence). Click here to learn more>Lakewood, Thursday, May 24, 2012, 6pm. RTD and Swinerton Builders will hold a public meeting to show final designs for the Sheridan Parking Structure; a pre-construction briefing with Q & A will follow. Mountair Christian Church, 1390 Benton Street. Q? Call Nanci Kerr, 303-592-1122
>Denver Union Station Historic Summer Tours Thursday, May 24, 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]
[Note: in just 12 short months West Corridor residents will be able bike to a West Rail Line station, jump on board with their bikes, get off at Union Station & cycle just six blocks to Coors Field and LEAVE THE CAR BEHIND. But until then, those of you adventurous souls who can commute to downtown, check out the facilities in place this year.] 
2012 schedule of Ride to the Rockies Games May 20, June 03, July 01, Aug 05, & Sept 02. All games are Sunday Day games. Over the course of 20 games this season the Rockies along with media partners ROOT SPORTS, 850 KOA and The Denver Post will once again be enlisting players and fans toward making a positive impact on the environment through the 2012 Games of Green initiative. NEXT BIKE TO THE GAME! WHEN: Sunday, May 20 for the game against the Seattle Mariners. Bike lot opens at 11:30 a.m. and closes 10 minutes after the game ends.
WHERE: Coors Field, the special Bike to the Game secure parking lot at 21st and Blake St., across from Gate C.
WHAT: Check in at the Bike to the Game Tent at the entrance to the bike lot at 21st and Blake to enter a drawing for great prizes, like a Rockies Batting Practice experience, Rockies tickets, autographed items and more! Learn more & buy tickets here >Lakewood, Wednesday, May 23, 5:30pm to ? Jeffco League of Women Voters looks at 2012 Colorado legislative accomplishments: From civil unions to direct file, from voting rights to higher education, children's issues to reproductive choice, the League has followed more than 90 bills this session. 1425 Brentwood St. Lakewood Co. 80214 Call Laurie Scholl at 303-234-0264 for more information  >Lakewood, starting Friday, June 08, 2012, 5-9pm; June 09, 10-4pm; June 10, 12-6pm.
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.Click here to learn more
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.
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| The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of William A. Spriggs and no one else. |
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