Station Selection: Palo Alto versus Redwood City

Submitted by admin on Fri, 04/17/2009 - 09:12

Background

Assuming the California High-Speed Rail Authority decides to have a Silicon Valley station, between Redwood City and Palo Alto, which station is the best selection?

Articles

The Mid-Peninsula HSR Station

http://cahsr.blogspot.com/2009/02/mid-peninsula-hsr-station.html

This blog offers extensive detail concerning what may go into station selection for the peninsula.

Our Opinion

We feel both the communities of Redwood City and Palo Alto are great places to visit, live and work. But when we look at the details with respect to placement of the station, Redwood City offers the best alternative. Redwood City residents seem to agree. At the High Speed Rail Community Workshop we had five round table discussions. The final vote was four tables for a station in Redwood City, with one table against a station.

High-Speed Train Station Selection Criteria

For a list of criteria for station selection we recommend taking a look at the Scoping Presentation by the CHSRA.

(source page 11: http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/images/chsr/20090127141112_ScopingPresentationSFtoSJ.pdf )

Historical and Cultural Resources, including train stations
Community Character - visual, land use and noise compatibility
Accessibility of Stations from Local Communities
Connectivity with Other Modes of Travel
Constructability of the HSR System (not enough information to comment)
Power Supply / Energy Requirements
Right-of-Way Constraints
Safety and Security
Station Development

Comparison

Note: Mountain View has thrown their hat into the ring. More work to be done. Mountain View has a plus, with a Light Rail System in close proximity.

Historical and Cultural Resources

Palo Alto
- Access to University Ave
- Stanford University
Redwood City
- Access to Courthouse Square
- San Mateo County Seat
- Courthouse
- Stanford Medical Center (new)

Community Character

Please see videos (below) and search YouTube for 'Palo Alto' or 'Redwood City'.
Palo Alto
- Palo Alto Launches Attack on High Speed Rail Project http://cahsr.blogspot.com/2009/03/palo-alto-launches-attack-on-high-speed.html
Redwood City
- Emerging Community and Political Support
- Lynn Chou Jonas and James Jonas (that's us)

Accessibility of Stations from Local Communities

Palo Alto: one side of station is limited due to it abutting El Camino.
Redwood City: high access from both sides of station, as El Camino is located a block away.

Connectivity with Other Modes of Travel

Time from Station to 101 (source: MapQuest)
- Palo Alto (about 8 minutes)
- Redwood City (about 4 minutes)
Time from Station to 280 (source: MapQuest)
- Palo Alto (about 9 minutes)
- Redwood City (about 9 minutes)
Access to proposed Ferry Terminal
- Palo Alto (via Auto, Ferry Terminal is in Redwood City)
- Redwood City (Access by auto, potential light rail, bike, potential water taxi)
Access to Municipal Airport
- Palo Alto (via Auto)
- Redwood City (Auto, bike) Airport is located North of Redwood City, Palo Alto is South of Redwood City. See new Redwood City General Plan for view of future linkages to transportation connectivity plans

Power Supply / Energy Requirements

Palo Alto: May be owned and controlled by city
Redwood City: Substation in Redwood City, off Seaport Blvd

Right-of-Way Constraints

Palo Alto: Rights of Way: University interchange on south end, El Camino on west
Redwood City: Winslow Street and Broadway on north end.

Safety and Security

Palo Alto - Please visit University Ave, Strong gang issues in East Palo Alto (see videos)
Redwood City - Please visit Downtown Redwood City/Courthouse Square, Some light gang issues emerging.

Station Development

Palo Alto: Any potential new station is blocked on three sides by El Camino, University Ave interchange and Alma (feeder road). Current Station is on the National Register of Historic Places, thus any development plans may need to comply with regulations governing such locations. Such regulations may have blocked any access to the interior to the station (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto_(Caltrain_station) ). Any new station must deal with small property footprint, issue of the Historical Register and perhaps lack of community support as demonstrated at recent public meetings.
Redwood City: Potential station can be much larger and has few limitations. Two large parking lots are adjacent for potentially construction. We offer community support. Any new station is working with a blank slate, no historical register constraints and a potentially large footprint.

Bottom Line

If the California High-Speed Rail Authority believes that it needs a station in the center of Silicon Valley, one of our nation's key economic engines, then the best selection in our opinion is Redwood City. Better access to transportation hubs, an active supportive community, a great downtown and few constraints, relative to Palo Alto, in station design and construction. The only limitation in Redwood City is our mutual civic imagination.Station Selection Background Videos