It's in the Stinkin' Name!

This morning was a stressful one for me. I had two classes today beginning at 10:00 am and continuing straight through until 12:45 pm. I didn't quite make it to class today. And not because I am a slacker, quite the opposite. I'm always the only one who did the reading the night before and prepares questions for the professor. But I digress. I'll tell you why I skipped school today.

As a student at Metro State College of Denver, which is on the Auraria Campus downtown (the campus also houses CU Denver and the Community College of Denver), I can ride the RTD buses and light rail for free with my student ID. Which is nice, since parking at the school runs anywhere from $2.50 to $5.00 a day, depending on how far away you leave your car. The light rail stops right at Colfax and 9th Street Park, which is about 20 yards from my 10:00 am class.

Anyway, I live in the suburbs so taking the light rail means I drive about 5 miles to get to the Park & Ride, where I leave my car while I go to school. I say "leave my car" rather ironically, as there is NEVER ANY DAMN PARKING at the "Park" & Ride.

Usually I have to serriptitiously park *around* the Park & Ride, where ever I can find a spot that won't leave me subject to a ticket, or worse, a tow.

Now this really irks me.

There is a continuous flow of chatter coming from RTD and various city councils in the Denver metro area regarding why suburbanites who work downtown should take more advantage of RTD (air pollution! rising gas prices! work on the way to work!), especially since the Southwest Corridor project has been in operation. The truth is that many SW suburbanites *do* take advantage of the light rail.

HOWEVER.

There are only about 20- count 'em out loud, 20- parking spots at the downtown Littleton Park & Ride. Tell me how I am supposed to catch a 9:35 train when every single parking spot was filled up at 7:00 am that morning?

Granted, RTD did not make their $1.25 from me, and they don't any other day because my ride is free. But Metro State paid for my Eco-Pass, which means that I am a customer, and I deserve Customer Service. And what about the other people who would or would have ridden the light rail today if they had found a place to park? Not all of them are students, I can guarantee that, so probably would have paid the $1.25. Who can afford to walk away from that kind of money?

Apparently RTD can.

HEY DUMMIES!! How 'bout putting together some parking at the Park & Rides? Just a crazy suggestion, I admit. But it just might be crazy enough to work...

P.S. I later drove by the Park & Ride at Ken Caryl & C-470. Which, incidentally, boasts about triple the number of parking spaces as Littleton. A Park & Ride that is served by exactly three buses, none of which go downtown. Guess how many parking spots were open at that Park & Ride? All of them.