Join friends and colleagues for a full-day or half-day tour on the Denver RTD system. Both tours will be entirely on regular revenue service, so be prepared to walk a bit, stand if buses are crowded, and hurry if a connection is tight.
 

The full-day multimodal tour will explore RTD’s bus and rail system and include stops at key RTD facilities and projects. Participants will ride RTD buses and trains to learn about transit-oriented development at Central Park Station, see the Colfax BRT construction, travel on Denver’s 16th Street Mall, ride Route 0, and visit Olde Town Arvada. A tour of RTD’s Civic Center and Union Stations will also be provided. We’ll finish the day at a local brewery for drinks and conversation. Meet at 8:15am in the lobby of the Westin Denver Downtown for check-in, to allow an on-time departure at 8:30am.

Please Note: Tour participants must download and activate the MyRide app with RTD’s complimentary transit passes.

Capacity Limit: 30 participants

Join friends and colleagues for a full-day or half-day tour on the Denver RTD system. Both tours will be entirely on regular revenue service, so be prepared to walk a bit, stand if buses are crowded, and hurry if a connection is tight. 
 

This four-hour afternoon multimodal tour will include riding bus, light rail, and commuter rail, and a tour of Union Station. Participants will be able to view construction of BRT along Colfax and experience the different operating environments of Denver’s extensive light rail network. Meet at 12:30 pm in the lobby of the Westin Denver Downtown for check-in, to allow an on-time departure at 12:45 p.m.

Please Note: Tour participants must download and activate the MyRide app with RTD’s complimentary transit passes.

Capacity Limit: 30 participants

Colfax Avenue is many things: it’s the longest commercial corridor in America, an iconic street that embodies Denver's history, and one of the primary transit routes for the region. On this tour, we’ll ride the bustling 15 bus from Downtown through Capitol Hill and out to City Park. From there, we’ll travel through Denver's transit history and learn about community engagement and development along Colfax Avenue. We’ll examine plans and construction for bus rapid transit designed to connect Denver's east side neighborhoods and check out the many transit priority measures that have already been implemented to make transit faster, more reliable, and more comfortable.

 

Tour will leave from the Westin Denver Downtown Lobby at 1pm.

Capacity Limit: 40 participants

Please Note: Tour participants must download and activate the MyRide app with RTD’s complimentary transit passes. (This tour involves approximately 2 miles of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.)

Denver has been prioritizing buses on its streets since the opening of the Broadway Bus Lane in 1975, followed by the 16th Street Mall in 1982. More recently, the City has implemented nearly 16 lane miles of bus lanes, 8 transit signal queue jumps, 20 transit priority signals, 9 bus boarding islands, and various other innovative bus priority treatments on key transit corridors. Join this tour to observe and experience how these various roadway and intersection enhancements improve transit travel times and reliability, as well as establish safe multimodal connections to and from transit.

 

Tour will leave from the Westin Denver Downtown Lobby at 1:30 pm.

Capacity Limit: 30 participants

Please Note: This tour involves approximately 2 miles of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.

In 2010, the City, with DHA and crucial nonprofit partnerships, received the HUD-DOT Challenge and Tiger II Grants to plan for and implement a new vision for development along Denver’s portion of RTD’s West Line with a laser focused effort on envisioning the future of the Sun Valley neighborhood, Denver’s most impoverished zip code in the shadow of the Broncos Stadium with over 80% of the residents living below the poverty line. The grant-funded effort named the Denver Livability Partnership incorporated transit station area planning, a healthy food access study, a $2 million affordable housing fund, and collaborative planning with partners and jurisdictions along the west line. At the heart of the effort, DHA created a transformational master plan for their property to deliver housing and land development that would maximize not only their investment, but leverage the city’s planned capital investments in local stormwater and parks planning along the South Platte River. DHA received a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning grant in 2014 and a subsequent Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant in2016, which launched the implementation phase. Sun Valley is quickly becoming a template for the development of affordable communities with integrated services and support, job training to achieve progress in economic mobility, and physical planning that builds access to opportunity.

 

In addition to 965 units of new housing, the Sun Valley Riverfront Park is a planned 11-acre regional park running the length of the South Platte River. Developed in response to the priority health issues in the neighborhood, the park creates a safe space that celebrates the diversity of the neighborhood, promotes physical activity and healthy eating, provides spaces for mental restoration, and ensures all Sun Valley residents have access to quality open space. The Sun Valley transformation is a model for community-driven planning integrated with intentional partnerships, services and engagement. To best serve the low-income and youth population, DHA's partnerships were essential to provide education, job and health-related opportunities. These include a food incubator, fresh food market, job training, and live/work spaces.

 

Tour will leave from the Westin Denver Downtown Lobby at 1:30 pm.

Capacity Limit: 30 participants

Please Note: Tour participants must download and activate the MyRide app with RTD’s complimentary transit passes. (This tour involves approximately 1 mile of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.)

This tour will cover the history of Union Station, redevelopment of the surrounding area, and the ins and outs of transit from one of Denver’s most beloved transit hubs. Take time to learn about the many partners that work in Union Station, including RTD, Amtrak, Bustang, Greyhound, among others, and learn how this hub connects the city, state, and interstate travelers.

 

Tour will leave from the Westin Denver Downtown Lobby at 1:30 pm.

Capacity Limit: 30 participants

Please Note: This tour involves approximately 1 mile of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.

The 16th Street Mall Project is revitalizing one of downtown Denver’s most important public spaces, enhancing safety, mobility and aging infrastructure. The redesign includes nearly one-million hand-laid granite pavers, upgraded utilities, improved drainage and green infrastructure to support long-term performance and sustainability.

 

Designed to better serve RTD’s Free MallRide, the new curbless street improves flexibility for buses and events alike, while wider pedestrian walkways and amenity zones with trees, seating and play features create a more accessible and vibrant environment for all who use the corridor. With more than half the blocks complete and final construction underway, the 16th Street Mall is taking shape as a safer, more resilient and welcoming destination for businesses, residents and visitors.

 

Tour will leave from the Westin Denver Downtown Lobby at 1pm.

Capacity Limit: 30 participants

Please Note: This tour involves approximately 1 mile of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.