Again, traveling has gotten in the way of keeping you up to date on the Union Station project. Here is the latest.
The first layer of roof now covers about a third of the current portion of the bus terminal. The location and size of the skylights are apparent from two perspectives in the photos below. As a reference, here’s a link to a rendering of that section of the eventual, completed roof. In the foreground of the first photo, you can see how the machine rooms are taking shape.
Crews are backfilling all but the 18th Street side of the terminal. The first photo above provides a good view of progress on the 16th Street side. Below are two photos taken from exactly the same spot. I shot the first one on October 25 and the other one this morning. While the angle and differences in sunlight are not the best for comparison purposes, if you look closely, you can see how the left side of the dirt pile is shrinking as a result of the backfilling process.
Concrete has been poured for the light rail passenger platform. The first photo below shows the platform from the Millennium Bridge, and the second is from the Union Gateway Bridge (aka 18th Street Bridge).
Over the weekend, I will wander over to the temporary Amtrak terminal to get some photos.
Please see our Denver Union Station page at JobSiteVistor.com for more photos.
Excellent update as always, Rick!
Great overhead shot of the bus box.
Is it just me, or are the images bringing my computer to its knees? On a positive note, I really enjoy the DUS updates.
Larry, there is a temporary technical problem loading photos which come from another website. I’m glad you enjoy the updates.
What is the interaction with the north side of the bus terminal and the light rail station? Do buses enter from that side, or is it an area of escalators and movement to the light rail station?
Great pictures and thank you for the update!
-Shay
Shay, referring to the first photo in Update #43, buses will enter and exit the terminal from/to 18th Street near the freight tracks through the opening in the terminal wall which is to the left of the yellow crane (not the orange crane). Staying with the first photo, foundations for the two escalators and the one elevator are visible in the center of the terminal floor. You can identify them by the holes in the floor protected by 2×4 fences. Regarding interaction, passengers can get between the light rail platform the elevator or escalator by walking along a park/garden that will be on the roof of the bus terminal.
As a reminder, the bus terminal as it exists today is only about half of its eventual size. Once the roof is completed and Chestnut Street in rebuilt over the top of the terminal, Wewatta Street will be shut down and digging for the other half of the bus terminal will begin. The terminal will end near the back of Union Station. Another set of escalators and another elevator will be built at that end of the terminal. Furthermore, there will be a similar interaction with the commuter rail and Amtrak passenger platforms at that end of the bus terminal.
This a long answer to your short question. I hope it is clear.