Light Rail Level Boarding Feasibility Study (5% DBE Goal)

RTD is requesting proposals for Consultant Services to provide a plan for the eventual transition from RTD’s high-floor light rail vehicle (LRV) fleet to a new fleet of LRVs and any associated modifications that are necessary to stations, maintenance facilities, and systems.

RTD currently has a fleet 200+ light rail vehicles and 50 light rail stations. The high-floor LRVs RTD uses for its light rail service delivery are no longer the industry standard for in North America; most agencies now operate with low-floor vehicles. High-floor LRVs are difficult to board for persons with mobility limitations and/or impairments and wheeled conveyances, even with platform high blocks that provide accessibility at all light rail transit (LRT) stations. Furthermore, RTD is using an LRV that is no longer manufactured; hence, various components are obsolete or difficult to manufacture and procure. Low-floor vehicles are advantageous as they provide level boarding with the train platform, increasing accessibility and ease of boarding and alighting without requiring the intervention of a Train Operator or other employees. Level-boarding will decrease dwell time and yield a positive impact with on time performance and reliability. Additionally, there may be a reduction with facility maintenance expenditures as platform highblocks will not be warranted thus eradicating those costs. The Consultant selected will be required to perform a series of Tasks in a Feasibility Study to help RTD personnel understand what is necessary to transition RTD’s light rail vehicle (LRV) fleet from high-floor to low-floor models and achieve level boarding at stations where appropriate.