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RTD launches mobile history tour on 16th Street FreeRide in Denver
ColoradoBiz Staff //June 25, 2026//
16th Street Mall in Denver, CO. Deposit Photos
16th Street Mall in Denver, CO. Deposit Photos
RTD launches mobile history tour on 16th Street FreeRide in Denver
ColoradoBiz Staff //June 25, 2026//
In Brief:
- RTD launches mobile history tour on 16th Street FreeRide
- Tour available through April 2027 with QR code access
- Partnership with Historic Denver, Denver Public Library, Downtown Denver Partnership
- Audio tour narrated by historian Tom Noel
DENVER — The Regional Transportation District has launched a one-year pilot program offering a mobile history tour for riders on the 16th Street FreeRide shuttle.
The free, mobile-first tour is available through April 2027 and can be accessed by scanning QR codes displayed inside FreeRide vehicles, at public information displays at Union Station and Civic Center Station and at Interactive Kiosk Experience bus stops.
Developed in partnership with Historic Denver, the Denver Public Library and the Downtown Denver Partnership, the tour explores the history of 16th Street and the role transit has played in the corridor’s development since the late 1800s.
The mobile platform includes a three-minute audio tour narrated by Colorado historian Tom Noel, an interactive map of historic sites, links to additional historical information from Historic Denver and the Denver Public Library and access to RTD trip planning through the NextRide app. The tour also includes information about Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood and the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
“RTD is proud to have partnered with Historic Denver, Denver Public Library and Downtown Denver Partnership to capture key milestones in the history of 16th Street and bring this experience to FreeRide customers,” said Debra A. Johnson, RTD’s general manager and CEO.
“Historic Denver is delighted to have collaborated on the content of the FreeRide History Tour, bringing history to life and making it accessible to Denverites and visitors alike,” said John Deffenbaugh, president and CEO of Historic Denver.
RTD will evaluate the pilot results after it concludes in April 2027.
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