Denver transit lots sit 80% empty, candidate says — but housing could help pay for more trains

Denver City Council candidate June Churchill wants to transform largely empty transit parking lots into housing, using the recurring revenue to support trains arriving every 15 minutes.

Here's what to know

In a YouTube video from Transit Tangents (@TransitTangents), Churchill, a candidate for District 10, outlined a potential agreement between Denver and the Regional Transportation District, or RTD.

A contractual guarantee of frequent transit service would be RTD's side of the bargain. In return, Denver would provide infrastructure support and density bonuses for development.

According to Churchill, RTD's station parking lots have vacancy rates of around 80%, leaving substantial land alongside existing rail infrastructure underused. Housing on those properties could put residents within walking distance of trains, increasing ridership while providing RTD with recurring lease income.

Churchill explained that a flat 1% sales tax provides most of RTD's budget, but the revenue does not keep pace with operating costs and falls when consumer spending weakens. Property-related income could provide a steadier source of money to help cover that shortfall.

More background

"Denver's transit network has a transfer problem," the video's host said. "A normal trip requires way too many of them. But, how do you solve that problem?" 

Reaching a destination is not necessarily quick just because transit serves it. For trips outside downtown, riders may need to take a bus to a train and then transfer again.

People unable to drive were one of the groups the network historically prioritized, along with sporting-event crowds and suburban commuters traveling downtown, said James Flattum, co-founder of Greater Denver Transit.

Despite changes across Denver, the bus network has not undergone a comprehensive redesign since the early 1980s.

During a later period in South Denver, Churchill struggled to reach destinations without good transit access or a bicycle. Churchill said that after giving up a car in 2018 because of its expense, she experienced unemployment and a period of homelessness.

Churchill also said Denver needs roughly 70,000 more homes within 25 years.

What's being done?

According to Flattum, RTD is undertaking a comprehensive operational analysis with Jarrett Walker Associates to rethink bus service.

Local and express buses would serve distinct roles under Greater Denver Transit's downtown bus plan, which aims to make trips faster and reduce double transfers.

According to Churchill, Senate Bill 24-230 is funding new service and helping protect some high-ridership routes from cuts. RTD could also have a financial incentive to exceed its contractual service commitment under the parking-lot proposal, which would provide another funding source.

Transit-connected development could extend south of downtown through opportunities at the Summit FC stadium site, Burnham Yards, and River Mile, Churchill said.

Environmental cleanup at former industrial sites was another part of the development work Churchill called for. She also advocated negotiating community benefits agreements, including affordable housing through Denver's inclusionary zoning requirements.

One commenter on the Transit Tangents video called for retaining an ongoing financial stake in the redeveloped properties.

"It seems also important that the revenue from these developments are continual revenue streams... such as a lease or some sort of fee," they said. "A one-time sale of a parking lot to a developer might deliver a single cash infusion, but that seems like something that would be gone in no time."

Where can I learn more?

Churchill's proposal would use housing near rail stations to help pay for more frequent trains, which could help reduce car use in the city. 

• Boston's mayor looks to New York's congestion toll as a model for funding the MBTA.

• Austin's CapMetro cuts two peak-hour rail trips, leaving Red Line trains running every 37 minutes.

• Arlington, Massachusetts, warns of worsening traffic unless a longstanding Red Line ban is repealed.

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