The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) will conduct train testing for approximately one week along a portion of the L Line between 20th/Welton and 30th/Downing stations beginning Sept. 16.
The agency plans to operate test trains daily between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to ensure newly installed safety improvements for the double-track section of Welton function as intended ahead of the return of L Line light-rail service to the corridor on Sept. 29.
The Welton Street Safety Improvements project, which began in 2023, enhances safety measures to reduce the potential of accidents at intersections along the Welton Corridor by replacing outdated train-related roadway signs and upgrading existing train warning traffic signals, or “blank-out” signs, to better warn motorists of trains approaching the intersections. Denver RTD says the new blank-out signs were specifically designed to alert motorists or pedestrians in light-rail corridors such as Welton Street that run alongside city streets.
The project also converts the previous relay-based signal system along Welton to a new microprocessor-based system consistent with the signal systems equipment in use throughout Denver RTD’s light-rail system.
During the testing, light-rail vehicles will operate in both directions along Welton Street at various speeds to test train location technology and ensure all signals are functioning as intended. Light-rail trains will be stored overnight at 30th/Downing Station during the testing.
