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Lessons for Transforming Planned California High-speed Rail Stations

to Major Activity HubsAuthors:

Cornelius Kofi Nuworsoo(Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo)

Elizabeth Deakin(University of California, Berkeley)

Jack R. Widmeyer Transportation Research ConferenceCalifornia State University – San Bernardino

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Outline

Background to the Study

Potential Impacts of High Speed Rail

Key Lessons for California

Application Concepts

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Background: California High Speed

Rail (HSR) Proposal

1996 - the California High-Speed Rail Authority established. Charge: . . .

plan, design, construct and operate a state-of-the-art high-speed train system across the state

2006-2007 state budget included $14.3 million to allow the Authority “to begin project implementation” … origin of study

November 4, 2008 – California voters approved bond measure with passage of Proposition 1A authorizing US$9.95 billion for the project

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Background: California HSR Connect north

and south

through Central

Valley

800 miles

220 mph

2 ½ hours:

Express

service from

downtown San

Francisco to

Los Angeles

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Background: The Argument

High Speed Rail Project:

Is mega public works project

Involves very large capital expenditure ($45b)

Public works projects

Can be catalysts for economic development

(Forkenbrock, 1990; Boarnet, 1995),

Can be money sinks (Altshuler and Luberoff,

2003; Flyvbjerg et al., 2003)

It is therefore desirable to undertake

careful planning to maximize benefits

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Background: The Proposition

A strategy for maximizing benefits is

development of station areas

Station area developments exist on

urban heavy rail, urban light rail,

commuter rail, and intercity rail lines in

US and abroad

E.g. Union Station, in DC

HSR station area development exist in

Europe and Asia

E.g. Lyon & Lille (France)

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What are Desirable Impacts of HSR?

US and international cases suggest that successful station area developments improve . . .

Intermodal connections

Physical appearance

Economic activity

Social interaction

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Desirable Impacts: Connections Multi-modal station enables:

Convenient access and ease of transfer between local and regional transport systems and between modes . . E.g.

E.g. Union Station, Washington, DC• Intercity rail, Commuter rail, Urban rail (Metro)

• Intercity bus, Transit bus, Tour buses and trolleys

• Rental Car

E.g. Hong Kong International Airport• Air travel

• Express trains, buses, tour coaches,

• Taxis, limousines and private cars.

• Ferry access

Union Station, Washington DC

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Desirable Impacts: Physical Physical improvement to create vibrant

activity center or hub

Increased and upgraded development within walking distance of the station area for social interaction and entertainment.

Land uses include residential, retail, work and cultural activities . . E.g.

E.g. Hong Kong Airport’s Sky City

trade center, an expo center, a 9-hole golf course, and retail spaces

exhibition center, hotels and offices

E.g. Orient Station in Portugal

Orient-Station: Lisbon, Portugal

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Desirable Impacts: Economic

Generation of economic activity and benefit as agglomeration economies take place . . E.g. Lyon, France; DC Metro Stations

E.g. Lyon TGV station became a major center of economic activity and cornerstone of economic expansion

• Offices relocated from elsewhere in the city to station premises

• Agglomeration economies

E.g. Major Metro rail stations in Washington D.C. are major employment and activity centers:

• exemplary in US (Cervero et al, 2004)

TGV Train Station, Lyon, France

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Desirable Impacts: Social Creation of a vibrant activity center or hub

for social interaction . . E.g.

E.g. Lille, France

TGV Station is a major mixed-use center . . • includes offices, retail center, hotels, public

housing, a large conference center and events hall, and a public park

Triggered adaptive reuse of facilities • resulted in major reorganization of land uses and

activity locations

Recognition: 2004 European City of Culture

TGV Train Station, Lille, France

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Key Lessons for California Major factors in successful station area

planning:

Multimodal accessibility• Availability of alternatives including non-

motorized modes

Concentration and mixture of land uses• Relative placement of land uses (commercial &

residential)

Unsuccessful HSR station development sites:

Locations outside the cities served • aimed to be accessible by car and public transit

• E.g. Le Creusot and Haute Picardie (TGV line)

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Application Concepts

California’s Central Valley cities are nothing like Hong Kong or Lyon in size, layout, economy, or outlook

Yet the ideas extracted from the cases resonate even in these smaller cities . .

strong intermodal connections can be used as the backbone for urban development that produces economic, social betterment and improved environmental performance

HSR Station

Establishing visual

connections

Urban plazas &

parks

Potential BRT

corridor

Strong pedestrian

connection using wide

sidewalks and trees

Application Concepts

Multi Block Simulation for Application Concepts

High density office & retail along major avenues, with lower density residential neighborhoods within walking distance

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HSR Station

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ConclusionsThe study and paper suggest:

1. Well-planned station-area developments can result

in desirable impacts on the communities served

including:

(a) consolidation of economic activity and overall improvement

in economic health

(b) improvements to and increased attractiveness of the built

environment

(c) ridership gains in the use of public transportation and

reduction in negative environmental impacts

2. Good planning requires creation of activity hubs

with coordinated transportation and land use, urban

design, and multimodal access and circulation in the

station areas in line with the concept of transit-

oriented development

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Thanks

Los Angeles Union Station

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