Cater to Commuters or Residents? Denver Rethinks its Rail Stops

Denver is confronting a dilemma facing many cities as they build out their transit systems: what types of uses should be developed in close proximity to stations, and who should these facilities serve.

1 minute read

July 27, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


In Denver, which is implementing a $7.4 billion expansion of its rail system, planners are revisiting assumptions about who should be served by transit stations, and the developable land around them, reports Kris Hudson. "In 1994, planners built parking lots and garages around many of its stations to cater to commuters," but now, planners and officials are looking "to encourage the development of dense, walkable villages around stations so people don't have to drive to use the system."

As a result, "Denver-transit planners now are becoming more flexible when it comes to
how much parking they require near rail stops and where they put it," in an effort to "rectify what some see as a flaw in the original concept."

Although a more sophisticated siting of parking is becoming common in Denver's peer cities, "Critics ask whether Denver's change in approach on parking will chase
some riders away rather than attract them," notes Hudson. 

"So, they're going to make it
more difficult to use transit in hopes that the real-estate speculators
who use public money to build these things can flourish?" asks Jon
Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, a think tank in
Denver.

 

Thanks to Daniel Lippman

Tuesday, July 24, 2012 in The Wall Street Journal

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight