The region's first limited access highway, the Sixth Avenue Freeway (US 6), came into being during World War II. The initial segment of the Valley Highway (later incorporated into Interstate 25) opened in the early 1950s. Denver's first shopping malls were not built adjacent to these initial stretches of expressway, although UNIVERSITY HILLS CENTER -in the south city-county- was close to a portion of I-25 that was open by 1960.
Denver's BEAR VALLEY CENTER (1966) was the first freeway friendly shopping mall in -or around- The Mile-High City. Then came Adams County's NORTH VALLEY CENTER, Englewood's CINDERELLA CITY and Adams County's NORTHGLENN, all of which were open by 1968.
The RTD Light Rail system was built to serve Denver and its environs. The first trains on the 5.3- route-mile "Central Corridor" entered revenue service on October 7, 1994. This initial system operated between the 30th & Downing and I-25 & Broadway stations. Expansions opened in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2013, 2016 and 2017. RTD Light Rail now extends for 60.1 route miles and serves fifty-seven stations.
Major light rail-adjacent shopping hubs include PARK MEADOWS MALL and DENVER PAVILIONS. RTD light rail stations are also near CITYCENTER ENGLEWOOD, a redevelopment of CINDERELLA CITY MALL, and WESTLAND TOWNE CENTER, formerly the WESTLAND CENTER mall.
The RTD Commuter Rail network was inaugurated, with service on the 23.5 route mile A Line, on April 22, 2016. The initial route ran between Denver Union Station and the Denver International Airport. This electric and diesel network was expanded in 2016, 2019 and 2020. It currently extends for 53 route miles and serves twenty-two stations, including a stop at DOWNTOWN WESTMINSTER (a redevelopment of WESTMINSTER MALL).
