BOULDER, Colo. — The downtown Boulder RTD station reopens Monday after methamphetamine residue was detected in restrooms and ductwork more than year ago shut it down, RTD said in a statement Thursday.
The station closed in January of 2023. When it did, the ticket offices were moved to the Boulder Junction at Depot Square Station. They'll close Friday to move back to the previous location at the Downtown Boulder Station and reopen on Monday.
The station's reopening Monday took nearly 13 months to come about because the existing ductwork could not be cleaned thoroughly enough as is, according to RTD. It was removed and replaced instead, and the drywall had to be removed to replace the ductwork.
RTD improved ventilation in the restrooms by installing more powerful exhaust fans.
"Should smoke from illicit substance use impact the facility in the future, any residue would be confined to the restroom," RTD said.
The agency also repainted the walls and ceiling, replaced the entryway matting and deep cleaned the main tile floor. RTD also added new powder coating to the benches, according to the Thursday news release.
"Surfaces that had tested positive for illicit substance residue, which were retested after this work concluded, were determined to be safe for the public," RTD said.
Nearly 200 bus and rail operators with the Regional Transportation District (RTD) received paid time off due to drug exposure during a four-month period in 2023, Denver7 Investigates found.
But they're not the only ones impacted by meth contamination.
Local
Englewood library added to list of public facilities contaminated with meth
The Arvada Library closed in January 2023 after preliminary testing found meth residue in the building. Within the same week, Englewood Library also shut down its library, bathrooms, the north Civic Center lobby and its second-floor bathrooms.
Like the opioid epidemic, which has received much of the focus in recent years, the meth epidemic has claimed the lives of thousands of people in Colorado.
According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 749 people died from a meth-related overdose in 2021, which represents a 43% increase from 2020 when 525 people died from a meth-related overdose.
