Crews are finishing construction on the 12.1-mile light rail line that will take commuters from Denver Union Station west, through parts of Denver, Lakewood and the foothills of Jefferson County to the Jefferson County Government Center in Golden.

RTD estimates the line will serve about 19,300 riders per weekday. Stops are scheduled every five minutes along most of the line during peak hours.

Currently, the West Rail Line is 93 percent complete. Major construction of the light rail line will be finalized later this summer, followed by completion of the signals and communications system in late 2012. Construction on the Wadsworth and Sheridan parking structures will continue through early March 2013, and RTD Light Rail Operations will conduct final testing and operator training through the spring of 2013.

Final construction of the $707-million project will include 5,600 parking spaces and 12 new stations.

Out of the 12 planned FasTracks projects, there are eight currently under construction including the redevelopment of Denver Union Station and its surrounding site, I-225 extension to Illiff Avenue, the Eagle P-3 Project, which includes the East Line to Denver International Airport, Gold Line to Arvada; and the first segment of the Northwest Rail Line to south Westminster, the North Metro Rail Line to the National Western Stock Show; and the express lanes extension on US 36 for Bus Rapid Transit.

(KUSA-TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)