Denver’s transportation needs are enormous. The Regional Transportation District (RTD) covers 6 counties, 40 municipalities, over 2,331 square miles serving a population of 2.6 million people. In order to move all these people Denver has learned to function regionally as well as greenly.
Since the 90’s Denver has had one of the largest “Green Fleets” in the country. Currently more than 43% of the entire fleet is powered by alternative sources including 1,021 biodiesel, 138 hybrids, 136 CNG, 103 gas/CNG dual fuels, 74 electric, and 29 function on electric.
In 1990 the Denver City Council approved an alternative fuels ordinance to promote cleaner air. The following year the city ran a pioneering study to test a fuel called Hythane, a mixture of hydrogen and compressed natural gas. In 2004 the city launched a pilot program to test roughly 50,000 gallons of B20 biodiesel in 60 of the city’s standard diesel vehicles. Biodiesel is an alternative fuel made from renewable natural resources such as new or recycled vegetable oils or animal fats which has been show to substantially reduce carbon monoxide.
Denver’s Green Fleet policies have been used as a model nationally and internationally and have been adopted by the International Council of Local Environment Initiatives (ICLEI) as part of its Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. The campaigns goal is to decrease vehicle emissions and is also promoted by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
The cities green attitude seems to have become infectious with the private sector. Last year Denver’s largest cab company, Metro Taxi, began converting its vehicles to eco-friendly Toyota Prius. Earlier this year Yellow Cab also started to introduce hybrids to its fleet.
Probably the most visible of Denver’s Green Fleet is the free 16th Street Shuttle. Thirty six ultra low emission hybrid electric buses run as often as every 90 seconds on the pedestrian mall’s 1 ¼ mile downtown strip. This unique service sees a daily ridership exceeding 50,000 people.
Metro Denver’s Fas Tracks project, approved by voters in seven Colorado counties in 2004 and managed by the Regional Transportation District is an enormous project in and of itself. The $4.7 billion, 12 year plan will link Denver’s suburbs with mass transit through 119 miles of new light and commuter rail, 18 miles of bus service, and 21,000 new parking spaces at the rail and bus stations.
This expansive network of stations will create opportunities for people to live or work near public transportation. The expansion is the single largest rail transportation build-out in U.S. history and will make Metro Denver one of the top five regions in the country with fixed rail.