DENVER -- A rocky relationship between Denver Transit Partners, which operates the University of Colorado A-Line between downtown and Union Station, and the Regional Transportation District has landed in court.
Denver Transit Partners, a consortium of private companies that works with RTD, including building and operating the oft-troubled A-Line, filed a lawsuit against the transit district in Denver District Court on Thursday, according to RTD.
In the complaint, Denver Transit Partners cites the challenges in meeting new federal requirements at the G-Line crossing gates, pressure to open the A-Line before it was ready and what they're calling "unfair fines" worth millions of dollars, among the reasons for the lawsuit.
Denver Transit Partners is seeking more money from the district, according to an RTD news release.
The transit consortium is citing a change in law, or a change in the interpretation of law, by federal and state rail safety agencies as being the reason for its failure to get final approval of grade crossings and quiet zones on RTD’s commuter rail system, according to RTD’s news release. Denver Transit Partners is attempting to recoup lost revenue, because of continual grade crossing failures, by suing the district, the release said.
DTP's Executive Project Director John Thompson provided the following statement:
“DTP is following the steps as outlined in the Dispute Resolution section of the contract agreement with RTD. That procedure calls for a review and decision by the Court when RTD and DTP have not been able to agree on a resolution. This is a commercial matter between the agencies and DTP is simply protecting its position by exercising the escalation next steps as outlined in the contractual agreement.
We will continue to provide safe and best-in-class service to RTD and the public while we work diligently on the remaining tasks required to put the G Line into passenger service.”
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