G Line Opening: Service To Begin Friday Morning

ARVADA, CO — The G Line, the newest part of Denver's commuter rail system, will finally begin carrying commuters Friday morning after more than two years of delays. And the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and Olde Town Arvada will celebrate the opening of the 11.2-mile rail line this weekend with parties and free rides.

The line officially opens at 9 a.m. Friday, April 26, at the Wheat Ridge & Ward Station, 12068 W. 50th Place, Wheat Ridge. The RTD will host a ceremony at the opening, and riders can board the G Line trains for free.

RTD will offer free rides on the entire rail system on Saturday, April 27. Parties will take place along the G Line from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at four stations: 41st & Fox, Clear Creek & Federal, Olde Town Arvada and Wheat Ridge & Ward.

On Saturday, Olde Town Arvada will host a party from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the G Line. The event will feature live music performances, kids' activities in Olde Town Square, music by That Party Truck, and more. For more information on the party, click here.

The businesses and restaurants of Olde Town also will get in on the fun and offer a plethora of specials, deals and entertainment, KUSA-TV 9News reported.

Existing bus service routes along the G Line will continue as normal. RTD is working on a bus-rail connectivity plan that will roll out in August, the agency said.

Originally scheduled to open in 2016, the roll-out of the G-Line has been fraught with delays and complications, earning it the nickname the "Ghost Line to Nowhere." Arvada residents have been listening to the horns of empty trains passing through the city 21 hours a day for nearly a year.

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Patch Editor Jean Lotus contributed to this story.