Agency remediated effects of drug use in public restrooms
The Regional Transportation District (RTD)’s Downtown Boulder Station lobby will reopen Monday, Feb. 19, after more than a year of work to remediate the effects of illegal drug use in the station’s public restrooms.
RTD closed the interior of Downtown Boulder Station, located at 1800 14th St., in January 2023 after methamphetamine residue was detected in the restrooms and found to have entered the interior ductwork elsewhere in the station.
“The collective goal of all employees involved in this project was to ensure the station could be reopened in a safe condition,” said General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “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.”
The ductwork was impossible to clean, so it was removed and replaced. New sheet metal ductwork that was installed has exterior insulation, so its interior surface can be cleaned. Public restroom ventilation was improved with more powerful exhaust fans. If drug use occurs again, smoke will be confined to these spaces, which will be easier to clean. Drywall that was removed to access the ductwork has been replaced.
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. Surfaces that had tested positive for drug residue were retested after this work concluded and were determined to be safe for the public.
The sales outlet at Downtown Boulder Station, which had been relocated to Boulder Junction at Depot Square Station while this project took place, will be closed on Friday, Feb. 16. The sales outlet will reopen Feb. 19 at Downtown Boulder Station.
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