RTD said its Downtown Boulder Station lobby was closed to remediate the effects of illegal drug use in the station’s public restrooms.
BOULDER, Colo. — The RTD station in downtown Boulder is reopening after being closed for more than a year.
The Regional Transportation District said its Downtown Boulder Station will reopen its lobby Monday, Feb. 19.
The interior of the lobby was closed in January 2023 after methamphetamine residue was detected in the restrooms and found to have entered the interior ductwork elsewhere in the station.
RTD said it spent the last year remediating the effects of the drug use.
RTD said the ductwork could not be cleaned and had to be removed and replaced. New sheet metal ductwork that was installed has exterior insulation, so its interior surface can be cleaned.
The station’s public restroom ventilation was improved with more powerful exhaust fans. According to RTD, if drug use occurs again, smoke will be confined to these spaces, which will be easier to clean.
A modest refresh of the lobby also occurred, including repainting the walls and ceiling, new powder coating of the benches, new entryway matting, and a deep clean and sealing of the main tile floor.
“The collective goal of all employees involved in this project was to ensure the station could be reopened in a safe condition,” RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson said.
“While illicit drug abuse is a societal issue that is not unique to RTD, it is our responsibility to provide employees and the public with a space that is clean and welcoming to inhabit.”
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