News in Brief
FAIRFAX STREET XCEL SUBSTATION TO CLOSE IN 2014
Xcel Energy announced in April that the Fairfax Substation on the 2800 block of Fairfax would be retired in 2014. According to a company spokesperson, the disposition of the lot is yet to be determined. While Xcel substations are rarely retired, there have been a couple in recent years. The Platte Substation at approximately 15th and Platte streets in downtown Denver was retired around 10 years ago and the land eventually became part of Confluence Park. In that case, as part of the Platte River Valley redevelopment, the function was moved to the new Lacombe substation just southwest of Coors Field. Barnum Substation at Irving and Kentucky streets will also be retiring at the end of 2013, and there is discussion of replacing it with a small park. The function of the Fairfax Substation, built over 50 years ago on a lot too small to expand its operations on, will be transferred to another, more modern substation, which today are 13.2 kilovolts compared to Fairfax Substation’s 4-kilovolts.
The project is part of Xcel Energy’s electric distribution system rebuild – predominatnly replacing poles and wire conductors – which will take place now through September.
- April to May 2013: work on 25th Avenue from Fairfax Street to Monaco Parkway;
- May to June 2013: alley work from Monaco Parkway to Kearney Streets, 20th to 25th avenues;
- June to July 2013: alley work from Kearney to Ivanhoe streets, 20th to 25th avenues;
- July to August 2013: alley work from Ivanhoe to Grape, streets, 20th to 29th avenues and;
- August to September 2013; alley work from Grape to Fairfax streets, 20th to 29th avenues.
Efforts this summer mark the second of three upgrade phases in Park Hill. Dates in the scheduled timeline are tentative and subject to weather or emergency conditions. For more information, contact tony.leeling@xcelenergy.com or 303-571-3760.
COMBAT TRAUMA STUDY
Denver Health is conducting a research study to see if giving plasma to trauma patients during ambulance transport versus arrival at the hospital will reduce bleeding. This study differs from other studies because it includes patients who cannot consent due to traumatic injuries. OPT OUT items are available free from Denver Health. The study is sponsored by the Department of Defense’s Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC).
For more information, visit denverhealth.org/COMBATstudy or call 303-602-3795.
DESPITE APRIL SHOWERS, DROUGHT CONDITIONS APPLY
The Stage 2 drought means that Denver Water customers may only water two days a week and must follow this schedule:
- Single-family residential properties with addresses ending in odd numbers: Saturday, Wednesday.
- Single-family residential properties with addresses ending in even numbers: Sunday, Thursday.
- All other properties: Tuesday, Friday.
Annuals and vegetables may be watered any day using drip irrigation or hand-held watering; spray irrigation of these crops is only allowed on assigned watering days. For more information, visit denverwater.org or coh20.com
KIDS: DON’T FORGET YOUR “DENVER CARD”
Denver’s students ages 5-18 now have free access to the city’s recreation centers and outdoor pools with the My Denver Card, which also serves as a library card. All Denver kids are eligible and can register by having their parent or guardian complete a registration form through school or at the recreation center.
Visit denverlibrary.org/mydenver-card to sign-up.
CARPOOLING GETS COOL MAKEOVER
You’ve done a double-take at the billboard: “Stop being an SOV.” At the end of last November, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) launched a rebranding of their RideArrangers program.
The new brand, WAY TO GO, is aimed at reducing traffic, air pollution and personal transit expenditures by encouraging alternatives to SOV car commuting including carpooling, mass transit, walking, biking, as well as telework and flex work schedules. DRCOG has spearheaded local efforts to help commuters find carpool partners since the 1970s gas crisis.
“In the beginning, we identified matches by putting pins on a giant map,” said DRCOG Executive Director Jennifer Schaufele. “Of course we now use online software, and our ridematching service has expanded well beyond just carpool matching for work commutes to include school carpools for busy parents as well as vanpools for larger groups.”
For more information or to sign-up, visit drcog.org/WayToGo or call 303-458-7665.
BIKE LANES COMING TO 26TH AVE ALONG GOLF COURSE
The Denver Public Works Department is finalizing the striping design for 26th Avenue between York and Colorado Boulevard. The new design will install bike lanes in both directions of 26th Avenue and reduce the size of the travel lanes along the corridor.
The improvements will provide a connection for bikes along the northern side of City Park and will serve as a traffic calming measure along this important roadway corridor. The repaving is planned for late July or August, and the striping changes will be implemented after.
For more information or to see the 2013 paving plan, visit denvergov.org/streetsandsidewalks.