A final decision on the fate of two metro Denver commuter rail lines should come early next year, after a judge with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission on Friday set a March date for a hearing on the matter.

PUC administrative law judge Robert Garvey set a three-day hearing starting March 12 to consider the safety of at-grade crossings along both the University of Colorado A-Line and the G-Line out to the western suburbs.

That date could move up to Feb. 15 if there aren’t objections raised by the Union Pacific and BNSF railroads, and several cities along the tracks to the Regional Transportation District’s “pre-file testimony.”

Turning to an administrative law judge was identified by the PUC commission last month as the best way to resolve what has become a long and nettlesome delay in the opening of the G-Line. The A-Line, which runs between downtown Denver and the airport, has been operating for more than a year with flaggers at its 11 crossings as safety backstops.

Federal regulators in September signed off on RTD’s crossing technology, which has had timing issues that keep the gates down too long, but the PUC denied the transit agency’s request for certification that same week.

The PUC has agreed to expedite its second look at RTD’s request for certification. An approval from the judge would mean the flaggers could be removed from the A-Line and G-Line and the final steps could be taken to opening the G-Line, which has been delayed more than a year.







