RTD expands elevator program to include more locations following clear reduction in reports of illegal activities, maintenance calls

By year's end, 11 agency locations will have elevator doors programmed to remain open when not in use to deter unwanted activities

DENVER (Oct. 27, 2025) –– The Regional Transportation District (RTD) expanded its Customer Experience Elevator Program this month to include Florida and US 36•Broomfield stations. At designated RTD locations, public elevator doors are reprogrammed to remain open when not in use to reduce unwanted or criminal activity inside the elevators. The program launched as a 90-day pilot from March through May 2024 at three high usage light rail stations – Colorado, Nine Mile, and Southmoor. Spearheaded by RTD’s Transit Police Department (RTD-PD), the pilot clearly demonstrated reprogramming public elevators reduced customer complaints and security-related calls for service. 

To further support a Welcoming Transit Environment, from June 2024 through September 2025, the agency added Sheridan, Lakewood•Wadsworth, Colfax, and Jefferson County Government Center•Golden stations to the program.

Calls for service from January through August 2025 at the new locations since the pilot, including Sheridan, Lakewood•Wadsworth, and Colfax dropped significantly compared to the same timeframe in 2024. Sheridan Station experienced a more than 81% reduction in calls overall, notably a 93% reduction in security-related calls for narcotics activity. Lakewood•Wadsworth Station experienced a more than 72% reduction in calls for service, including 83% fewer reports of narcotics activity and a 90% decline in elevator maintenance requests.

Similarly, Colfax Station experienced a 43% decrease in overall calls for service, with narcotics activity dropping by 57% and loitering reducing by 35%. Jefferson County Government Center•Golden Station experienced no calls for service for narcotics activity in 2024 or 2025.

RTD noted that the overall reduction in incident reports or calls for service – requests made by RTD employees, customers, the public, or other agencies for police assistance – is a strong indicator of program effectiveness. Leaving the elevator doors open when not in use helped the agency improve employee and community concerns related to personal safety and security.

“RTD is extremely pleased the Customer Experience Elevator Program continues to correlate with reduced overall incidents and calls for service at the locations,” said RTD-PD Chief of Police and Emergency Management Steve Martingano. “Our overarching goal is to create a transit environment that is a welcoming, convenient and enjoyable experience for all customers. The program demonstrates the effectiveness of environmental design tactics that RTD-PD is employing across the district and contributes to the overall efforts across the system to further enhance safety,” added Martingano.

While nine RTD locations are part of the program since Florida Station and US 36•Broomfield were incorporated this October, by year's end, the public elevators at RidgeGate Station and Civic Center Plaza also will be incorporated into the program.

“By reprogramming the elevator doors to remain open when not in use, we’ve significantly improved security at our stations,” said RTD Manager of Facilities Maintenance Sean Moran. “This simple operational change has created a more secure environment for customers and maintenance staff alike. The RTD Facilities team remains committed to partnering with Transit Police to implement improvements like this program that keep the RTD system clean, accessible, and creates a more welcoming transit environment for everyone.”

RTD owns and operates a total of 79 public-facing elevators and will continue to extend the program beyond the 11 locations. Reprogramming an elevator costs about $436 for one hour of a contracted technician’s time. In 2024, the agency estimated that expanding the program to include all 79 public-facing elevators would cost approximately $61,350.

The agency determines which stations to reprogram based on the number of elevator-related service calls and RTD-PD’s data identifying the locations with the highest calls for service.

The operational adjustment to station elevators is part of RTD’s Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) efforts across the entire system. In recent years, RTD has upgraded lights, improved landscaping, added TV monitors that display security feeds, and installed smoke detectors in public restrooms across its service area. CPTED is a multi-faceted approach to reducing crime and deterring offenders at stations, stops and facilities. 

For more information about the Customer Experience Elevator Program, visit here. To learn about the dozens of tactics RTD is employing for a Welcoming Transit Environment visit the Safety and Security page here.

Early findings from RTD’s elevator 2024 pilot program have encouraged other transit agencies to contact the RTD-PD to learn about launching similar elevator programs across their transit systems.