RTD Assigns New West Corridor Project Manager
The Regional Transportation District has assigned North Metro Engineering Project Manager Jim Starling to take over as West Corridor project manager following the recent death of the project’s previous manager, Dennis Cole.
Cole passed away on June 26 after suffering a stroke. He had worked at RTD for 10 years and on the West Corridor since 2001.
Starling has nearly 20 years of transportation experience and has managed several construction projects for RTD. Before being assigned as the North Metro Project Manager in 2006, Starling served as light rail engineering manager on the Transportation Expansion Project, otherwise known as T-REX.
He also served as project manager on the Central Platte Valley Spur to Denver Union Station and helped manage construction of the Southwest Corridor Light Rail Project. All of those projects were completed on time and on budget.
Starling is assuming his West Corridor duties immediately, since the 12.1-mile light rail project was just recently given the green light to move into full construction. “We are all still grieving the loss of Dennis, who was so committed to the West Corridor. No one was more passionate than he about keeping this project moving forward,” said Rick Clarke, RTD’s assistant general manager of FasTracks/Engineering.
“Jim Starling has been a major contributor to the successful construction of RTD’s previous light rail projects, and we are confident that his knowledge and expertise will be a tremendous asset to the West Corridor,” Clarke said.
The West Corridor line will operate between Denver Union Station in downtown Denver and the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden, serving Denver, Lakewood, the Denver Federal Center, Golden and Jefferson County.
The corridor is the first FasTracks rail project to move into construction and is scheduled to open to the public in 2013, one year ahead of schedule.
North Metro Planning Project Manager Dave Shelley will continue to lead completion of the environmental planning efforts. Jane Donovan, who has been serving as deputy engineering manager, will now serve as North Metro’s interim engineering project manager.
FasTracks is RTD’s voter-approved 12-year program to expand rail and bus service throughout the RTD service area. Scheduled for completion in 2017, FasTracks will build 122 miles of rail transit, including six new commuter rail and light rail lines and extensions of three existing lines; build 18 miles of bus rapid transit service, add 21,000 new parking spaces, redevelop Denver Union Station and redirect bus service to better connect the eight-county District.
FasTracks is projected to create more than 10,000 jobs during the height of construction and will pump billions of dollars into the regional economy.