CHANCELLOR'S COMMUNIQUE

Light rail is coming to campus at long last. Starting next week, it will be possible to get from campus to the airport, downtown Denver, and all around the metro area on convenient public transportation. 

The RTD R line is expected to open at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24, with two stops near the CU Anschutz Medical Campus: Colfax Station, to the east of campus at Colfax Avenue and I-225, and Fitzsimons Station, north of campus at Fitzsimons Parkway and Ursula Street. A free campus shuttle bus will provide transportation from Fitzsimons Station to a number of stops around campus. Some details:

• The shuttle will operate continuously on a 3-mile loop from Fitzsimons Station to five stops around campus, from Wheeling Street on the east to Racine Street on the west. The stops can be seen on the map above.  Shelters have been built at each stop.

• Two busses will run on the loop from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. During peak hours (6:30-9 a.m. and 3:30-6 p.m. Monday-Friday), three busses will run. On the weekends, one bus will run every 15 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• The shuttle is free and available to all students, employees, patients and visitors to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. 

• An app that will enable passengers to track the shuttles’ current location and expected arrival times is in development. Details to follow, likely next month.

The 10.5-mile R Line has eight stops. It will connect Nine Mile Station in southeast Aurora with theUniversity of Colorado A Line, which runs from Union Station downtown to the Denver International Airport. 

While the campus shuttle is free, riding the light rail is not. Employees may pay on a per-trip basis or sign up for the CU Anschutz RTD EcoPass program, which allows CU Anschutz employees unlimited rides on RTD for $25 per month. See if you are eligible for the program on the CU Anschutz EcoPass website. Students may ride anywhere on the RTD system using their RTD CollegePass​. 

We are grateful to University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado for their partnership with CU Anschutz on the shuttle bus service, which was started with the help of a $1.5 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration. The VA Hospital, when it opens, will also be partnering with us on the shuttle.