COUNCIL AGENDA : 6/10/2025
FILE : 25-672
ITEM : 2.27
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND FROM: Toni J. Taber, MMC
CITY COUNCIL City Clerk
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: June 4, 2025
SUBJECT: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program Recommendation
As recommended by the Transportation and Environment Committee on June 2, 2025 and the Diridon Station Steering Committee on May 21, 2025, accept the At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program for environmental review, which includes the following:
(a) At-Grade Station Alternative (platforms, tracks, historic station, concourse, plazas, bus facility, light rail station, other affected improvements); (b) West Virginia Street closure at the rail crossing with new pedestrian and bike undercrossing; (c) Auzerais Avenue grade separation;
(d) San Carlos Street bridge replacement;
(e) Park Avenue reconfiguration;
(f) Noise/sound barriers at select crossings/locations; and (g) Stockton Avenue/The Alameda reconfiguration.
CEQA: Not a Project, File No. PP17-007, Preliminary direction to staff and eventual action requires approval from decision-making body. Council District 6. (Transportation) [Transportation and Environment Committee referral 6/2/2025 - Item (d)3]
TO: TRANSPORTATION AND
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
FROM: John Ristow
SUBJECT: At-Grade Station Alternative
and Diridon Program
DATE: May 12, 2025
Approved
Date:
5/22/2025
COUNCIL DISTRICT: # 6
RECOMMENDATION
(1) As recommended by the Diridon Station Steering Committee on May 21, 2025, accept the At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program for environmental review, which includes the following:
• At-Grade Station Alternative (platforms, tracks, historic station, concourse, plazas, bus facility, light rail station, other affected improvements); • West Virginia Street closure at the rail crossing with new pedestrian and bike undercrossing;
• Auzerais Avenue grade separation;
• San Carlos Street bridge replacement;
• Park Avenue reconfiguration;
• Noise/sound barriers at select crossings/locations;
• Stockton Avenue/The Alameda reconfiguration; and
(2) Refer and cross-reference the Diridon Station at Grade Station and Diridon Program Report to the June 10, 2025, City Council Meeting.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
On May 21, 2025, the Diridon Station Steering Committee accepted the staff recommendation of the Diridon Partner Agencies (Partner Agencies) to approve the At- Grade Station Alternative and the Diridon Program for environmental review, the next phase of work. The Partner Agencies are recommending that the City Council accept the decision of the Steering Committee.
COMMITTEE AGENDA: 6/2/25
ITEM: (d)3.
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
BACKGROUND
The Partner Agencies – the City of San José, the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Authority (Caltrain), the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, have been working together since 2018 to plan for the transformation of San José’s downtown transit hub, Diridon Station. The station currently serves Caltrain, Capitol Corridor, Altamont Corridor Express (ACE), and Amtrak passenger rail, as well as VTA light rail (LRT) and bus services. In the future, the station will need to accommodate increased service by existing operators (Caltrain, ACE Capitol Corridor) as well as new ones, including CHSRA, BART, and the San José Diridon to Airport Connector. To effectively accommodate planned and future services, Diridon Station must be reconfigured, expanded, and upgraded to provide adequate capacity, functionality, and interconnectivity for passengers.
In order to plan for this substantial growth, the Partner Agencies formed a public agency partnership via a Cooperative Agreement in July 2018. Through 2018-2020, the Partner Agencies produced a vision for redeveloping Diridon Station, the “Concept Layout,” through an effort called the Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan. The Concept Layout is shown in Figure 1. The governing bodies of the five Partner Agencies accepted the Concept Layout in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, the Partner Agencies worked together with station area property owners to refine the boundaries of the project.
During this same time, CHSRA made important progress in environmental review, certifying the environmental document for the Northern California segment of their project in August 2022.
Figure 1- The Concept Layout was the vision produced in an earlier phase of work, the Diridon Integrated Concept Plan.
In 2023, the Partner Agencies initiated the current phase of work – the Business Case.
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
The Business Case is a comprehensive approach for evaluating the costs and benefits of station design alternatives. Its purpose is to identify a preferred alternative that is cost effective, implementable, and in alignment with the goals and objectives of the Partner Agencies and the greater community. Those goals are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2 - The goals that the Partner Agencies developed for evaluating station alternatives in the Business Case.
Building on the vision set forth in the Concept Layout, the Partner Agencies developed station design alternatives to reduce impacts and costs while continuing to prioritize customer experience. Using a thorough evaluation process based on the goals shown above in Figure 2, the Partner Agencies first developed three alternatives: an at-grade option, an elevated option, and a stacked option.
The At-Grade Alternative
(Figure 3) rebuilds the
station with the tracks and
platforms at approximately
street level, which is the
same vertical position
where the tracks are
today.
The Elevated Alternative
(Figure 4) rebuilds the
station with the tracks
above street level. Finally,
the Stacked Alternative
(Figure 5) puts high-speed
rail on a higher platform
Figure 3- The At-Grade Alternative keeps tracks in the same vertical position as today.
This option improves east/west connections by creating a gently sloping ground plane on either side of the station
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
level above the other heavy rail modes.
After technical and urban
design studies, the
Partner Agencies decided
to eliminate the Stacked
Alternative from
consideration because it
would be difficult to
construct and would have
significant negative visual
impacts on the
neighborhoods to the west
of the station. This left the
At-Grade and Elevated
options, which the Partner
Agencies developed in
greater detail and
discussed with the
community in late 2024 and into 2025. The City Council held a study session in August 2024 to learn more about these options and to kick off public engagement.1
For the remaining two
alternatives, the
concourse level is
located just below the
rail tracks and
platforms.2 Access to
LRT and the future
BART tunnel is below
the concourse level.
The concourse layout is
shown in Figure 6.
1 The memorandum and presentation for the August 16, 2024 City Council Study Session is available at https://sanjoseca.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=42447. 2 In a railway station, a concourse is an open area or hall where many people gather, where multiple paths or hallways converge. It's a common area within the station for passengers to wait, purchase tickets, and access other amenities like food and beverage vendors.
Figure 4 - Elevated Alternative. This option elevates the tracks roughly 25 feet above the surrounding street level to provide better street connections through the station and across the tracks. This option is most like the 2020 Concept Layout.
Figure 5 - The Stacked Alternative. This option allows for a narrower station footprint by putting high-speed rail on a higher platform level above the other heavy rail modes.
The Partner Agencies discarded this option in August 2024 considering engineering and constructability concerns, as well as its perceived visual impacts on neighborhoods west of the station, as shown in this rendering.
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
The staff report that the Diridon Partner Agencies produced for the May 21 Steering Committee meeting is provided as Attachment A.
Figure 6 – Layout of the concourse level and access to key station elements. This layout is common to both the At-Grade and Elevated Station Alternatives.
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
Figure 7 -Vertical profiles of the At-Grade and Elevated station alternatives with proposed grade crossings.
Changes to Project Organization and Governance under the Business Case
In parallel with advancing station design, the Partner Agencies have made changes to the organization and governance of the project as part of the Business Case. This has included both short-term and long-term actions that will put the project on firmer footing as it progresses toward delivery.
In the short-term, the Partner Agencies have disbanded the Diridon Joint Policy Advisory Board – the entity that formerly provided direction to the project but didn’t have any formal decision-making power and have replaced it with the Diridon Steering Committee, a body with voting authority. The Partner Agencies memorialized this change in an updated cooperative agreement that all parties signed in fall 2024.3 This organizational and governance model will remain in place for up to four years, through the conclusion of the environmental phase of work.
Over the longer term, the Partners believe that a dedicated entity is needed to successfully carry out a project of the magnitude of the Diridon Station Project, and therefore are recommending the development of a station development authority. The details of this new governing structure will be developed in the next phase of work.
3 Attachment A, p. 10, https://santaclaravta.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=4083
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
ANALYSIS
Station Alternatives
The Partner Agencies undertook a constructability analysis in 2024/25. The table below summarizes the key findings of this analysis:
Considerations At-Grade Alternative Elevated Alternative Construction Period & Rail
Service Impacts 7-10 years 10-12 years
Cost in Billion ($2023) $3B-$6B $5B-$10B
Existing Rail Corridor Modest encroachments
outside existing corridor
Significant
encroachments outside
existing corridor
Caltrain Maintenance Facility Maintains access FATAL FLAW Lose access
Overall, as compared to the At-Grade Alternative, the Elevated Alternative would cost significantly more and take longer to build. It would also involve more encroachment outside of the existing Caltrain rail right-of-way. The constructability analysis also revealed a fatal flaw related to the Caltrain Maintenance Facility: the southern access tracks into Caltrain maintenance facility would be severed for the entire duration of construction. This disconnection results from not having enough linear distance between the elevated tracks and platforms and the Caltrain Maintenance Facility to return to ground level at the Caltrain Maintenance Facility within allowable grades and curvatures. In the final configuration, the southern lead tracks into the facility are removed, resulting in a permanent condition that would be compromised from an operational perspective. By contrast, the tracks into/out of the Caltrain Maintenance Facility would not be impacted with construction of the At-Grade Alternative.
Other findings include the following:
Historic Depot: Both alternatives preserve and adapt the main Historic Depot building and facade of the Annex.
PG&E Substation: The Elevated Alternative significantly encroaches onto PG&E’s Substation A property. It would require reconfiguration and reconstruction of the substation on site or relocation to another site nearby, which would require land acquisition. By contrast, the At-Grade alternative would not encroach into the PG&E facility. Further engineering will be prepared near the PG&E site to confirm this finding and establish an appropriate construction buffer. PG&E and the project team are currently coordinating on this issue. Rail Crossings: Under the Elevated Alternative, construction impacts would occur along the entire length of the elevated track, including at all rail crossings from West Virginia Street in the south to Taylor Street in the north. Existing grade separations would be completely reconstructed, bringing roadways up to street
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
level under the elevated tracks. There would be some construction impacts related to the reconstruction of the San Carlos Bridge and permanent access changes resulting from the closure of the current road crossing of the railroad tracks at West Virginia Street.
Unlike the Elevated Alternative, the At-Grade does not by design require new or replace existing grade separations. The At-Grade Alternative generally conforms to the existing/CHSRA-planned tracks south of the San Carlos Bridge and north of Caltrain Maintenance Facility. While the San Carlos Bridge would not need to be reconstructed as part of the station project, there is still a need to replace it.
Additionally, given the future projected train traffic and associated noise and gate downtime, there is a desire to grade separate Auzerais Avenue beneath the rail tracks and to close West Virginia Street to vehicular traffic. Both changes will have land use and road circulation impacts that the City and Partner Agencies plan to address as part of an access study discussed below.
It is also important to note – and as many community members remarked through the course of engagement activities – that the Elevated Alternative included large swaths of elevated track that would have been difficult to maintain and to keep active. Many likened the elevated rail viaduct to the State Route 87 viaduct, a facility that has been difficult to keep safe, clean, and attractive.
For all the reasons stated above, the Partner Agencies determined that the At-Grade alternative was the best and only viable alternative.
Diridon Station Program Elements
It is important to note that the primary reasons why the Diridon Partner Agencies proposed elevating the tracks in the 2020 Concept Layout was to improve neighborhood connections across the tracks – the desire to turn the station into a connector rather than the barrier that it is today. The reasons for this are two-fold:
To make crossing the tracks safer and more comfortable, especially for people on foot or on bike. These connections are key to making the most of the high- capacity transportation investments at the station. The elevated station option achieved this by elevating the tracks above the surrounding grade level, bringing streets with deep underpasses (e.g. Park Avenue, Santa Clara Street, Julian Street), as well as the steep San Carlos Street Bridge overpass, down to grade. To reduce train horn noise in the station area. This is a goal that can be achieved by creating new grade-separated crossings where streets currently cross railroads at grade.
The At-Grade Station Alternative seeks to achieve the same objectives as the Elevated Station Option at a lower cost and with less construction disruption. It does this by introducing new grade crossings where none exist today (at Auzerais Avenue and West
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
Virginia Street) and by improving underpasses that are poorly designed today so that crossing the tracks is more comfortable, especially for those on foot or bicycle, as well as for people using wheelchairs and parents pushing children around in baby strollers.
As such, the Partner Agencies recommended a program of projects – in addition to the Station itself – to improve connectivity, safety, and quality of life, while reducing noise in the neighborhoods around the track. The following crossing improvements are therefore included in the Diridon Station program, in addition to crossing improvements that are inherent in the station/track improvements:
Park Avenue: Alter the roadway and improve multimodal connectivity, in line with the Diridon Station Area Plan.
San Carlos Street: Replace the existing aging roadway bridge with a new, multimodal bridge.
Auzerais Avenue: Create a new grade separation by lowering the roadway under the rail track, reprofile the roadway, add new pedestrian and bike facilities, and address neighborhood access.
West Virginia Street: Close the road to vehicles at the rail crossing and create a new pedestrian and bike undercrossing, with associated neighborhood access improvements.
Noise barriers at select crossings and other locations along the rail corridor, as well as the reconfiguration of Stockton Avenue at The Alameda are also part of the Diridon Station program.
Next Steps
The Partner Agencies will pursue the following immediate next steps:
o Select and award environmental consulting contract (summer 2025). o Additional technical work (spring/summer 2025):
Follow-up community engagement, as noted above.
Construction impact strategies/phasing: further consider strategies to reduce impacts related to construction, including to rail operations, and explore potential project phasing options. Project delivery options: explore the best contracting method to be used to implement the Diridon Station program.
The environmental review process is expected to take up to three years to complete. This will be followed by preliminary final design and funding commitment. Finally, construction is expected to take up to 7-10 years. Given that the method of construction and funding strategy is yet to be determined, this is a best guess at a longer project timeline.
As part of the environmental review process, the Partner Agencies will further study of the interfaces of the station and program investments in the central station area with neighboring sites, particularly related to Plant 51 and Laurel Grove Lane.
The City will conduct an access study on the impacts of the proposed changes at
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
W. Virginia Street and Auzerais Avenue to local circulation. This study, which has been scoped and will advance in summer and fall of 2025, will consider access (both for everyday and emergency needs) into and out of the Hannah and Gregory Plaza neighborhoods. It will consider a range of options beyond those presented to the Steering Committee on May 21, 2025 and vet these with the community.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
As of 2025 and per the strengthened cooperative agreement signed by the Diridon Partner Agencies, the Diridon Steering Committee is the official decision-making entity for the Diridon Station Project. The Partner Agencies will meet quarterly with the Steering Committee and provide updates on the project as it enters the environmental review phase of work. City staff working on the Diridon Station Project, with support from the Partner Agencies as appropriate, will continue to provide updates to City Council and/or to the Transportation and Environment Committee at key points during the environmental review process.
COORDINATION
This memo has been coordinated with City Attorney’s Office and Planning, Building and Code Enforcement CEQA team.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City’s Council Agenda website for the June 10, 2025, City Council meeting.
Community Engagement
The City of San José led engagement activities on behalf of the Partner Agencies for the Business Case. Engagement began with conversations with key stakeholders in late 2023. In summer 2024 and into 2025, the effort broadened to include broader engagement with the public, focusing on the neighborhoods most affected by the project. A full summary of community engagement activities is provided as Attachment B to this memorandum.
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
Overall goals of the engagement effort were to:
Build on past outreach efforts, including for the Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan4 and the Diridon Station Area Plan,5 and to seek input on priorities for the station and adjoining public spaces;
Inform the community and seek feedback;
Build excitement, awareness, and ownership; and
Inform the recommended project to progress into the environmental review process.
The engagement strategy prioritized equity, inclusivity, and accessibility by meeting communities where they were and using culturally sensitive and multilingual approaches.
The engagement team held 40 events and interacted with over 2,200 community members at these events. Activities included in-person meetings, walking tours, pop- ups at the station and in the surrounding area, as well as an online open house and online workshops.
Specific activities included a San José launch party for Caltrain Electrified Service at Diridon Station, tabling at Viva CalleSJ, and an exhibit housed in the lobby of Diridon Station. The team also partnered with community-based organizations like the Vista Center for the Blind and Prosperity Lab to receive input from blind and low-vision residents and minority business owners in the greater downtown area.
The team used a broad range of promotional tactics to reach diverse groups, including mailers, flyers at local businesses and public areas, tabling, email blasts, social media, and distribution of flyers on Caltrain and Capitol Corridor trains. Over 800 individual comments were captured from approximately 760 community members from late 2023 through April 2025. The feedback highlighted several key themes:
Primary Feedback Received
The project will bring big regional mobility benefits. It could also bring big local benefits (station as destination in its own right) if it is well-designed and has the right amenities within it.
The impacts of the project are likely to be felt more locally; it will be critical to address safety, noise, and connectivity as part of the program to create a neighborhood and citywide asset, rather than a liability. The sense that a blend of historic and modern is successful in both alternatives.
The arrival experience at station, both by train and from downtown, is improved over status quo in both alternatives.
4 https://www.diridonsj.org/disc
5 https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/planning-building-code- enforcement/planning-division/citywide-planning/area-specific-plans/diridon-station-area-plan
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
Broad support for prioritization of modes at station (which is in line with City’s adopted access hierarchy in the Diridon Station Area Plan.6 Appreciation that spaces closest to rail concourses are devoted to pedestrians. Acknowledgement that this is a big project that will cost a lot of money, and will take a long time, and that has big inherent impacts. Appreciation about the Partner Agencies’ transparency regharding this.
Appreciation for the broad and thoughtful public engagement process conducted to date.
Construction Considerations Feedback
Concerns about increasing rents / business displacement. Reliable access to businesses by all modes, both during construction and afterwards, for customers.
Need for reliable loading, building servicing.
Clear communication, including signage, to explain construction activities and interim access.
Apply lessons from past transit construction projects like Alum Rock Bus Rapid Transit.
Need for clear communication, including signage, appropriate for all modes, whether those on foot, bike, or car.
Need for affordable rents, partnerships and support during construction phase.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-009, Staff reports, assessments, annual reports, and informational memos that involve no approvals of any City action.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution.
6 https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/74711, p. 129.
TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
May 12, 2025
Subject: At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program
/s/
John Ristow
Director, Department of Transportation
For questions, please contact Eric Eidlin, Station Planning Manager, Department of Transportation, [email protected] or 408-643-5147.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Diridon Station Recommended Alternative and Community Engagement Attachment B: Community Engagement Report – Diridon Station Business Case Memorandum
TO: D
iridon Station Steering Committee
FR
OM: Marian Lee, Caltrain Diridon Director
Jessica Zenk, City of San Jose Director
DATE
: May 21, 2025
SU
BJECT: Diridon Station Recommended Alternative and Community Engagement FO
R ACTION
INT
RODUCTION
At
the March Steering Committee meeting, staff presented key findings from the constructability analysis of two station design alternatives (Elevated and At-Grade). The Elevated Alternative was found to have a fatal flaw. Short of making a decision on the station alternatives based on the findings, additional community engagement was recommended to discuss the findings with the community as well as continue to solicit their input on the remaining viable At-Grade Alternative.
Wi
th conceptual engineering efforts and community engagement now complete for this phase of the project, staff is seeking Steering Committee approval of the recommended At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program of Projects for environmental review.
DIS
CUSSION
Bac
kground
The Diridon Partners are working together to plan for the transformation of San José’s downtown transit hub (Diridon Station). Diridon Station currently serves Caltrain, Capitol Corridor, Altamont Corridor Express (ACE), and Amtrak passenger rail, as well as VTA light rail (LRT) and bus services. Diridon Station must also accommodate increased services as well as future services, including new California High Speed Rail (HSR), Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), and San José Airport Connector service. To effectively accommodate planned and future services, Diridon Station must be reconfigured, expanded, and upgraded to provide adequate capacity, functionality, and interconnectivity for passengers.
In 2020, t
he Diridon Integrated Station Concept (DISC) process produced a vision for redeveloping Diridon station. Based on the vision, station design alternatives were developed with the goal of reducing impacts and costs while continuing to prioritize customer experience.
Initially three station alternatives were developed to meet established visions, goals, and objectives. Using a robust evaluation process, three alternatives were reduced to two for further investigation.
Th
e two alternatives are the At-Grade Alternative and the Elevated Alternative. The At-Grade
6.a
Attachment A
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
Alternative rebuilds the station with the tracks and platforms at approximately street level, which is where they are today. The Elevated Alternative rebuilds the station with the tracks above street level. For both alternatives, the main concourse level is located just below the rail tracks and platforms. Access to LRT and the future BART tunnel is below the concourse level.
In 2024, both alternatives were discussed with the community at-large to solicit input and feedback. Staff and consultants also undertook further technical work, including engineering and constructability analysis.
Constructability Analysis
The table below summarizes the Constructability Analysis key findings for the At-Grade and Elevated Alternatives.
Considerations At-Grade Alternative Elevated Alternative Construction Period & Rail
Service Impacts 7-10 years 10-12 years
Cost ($2023) $3B-$6B $5B-$10B
Existing Rail Corridor Modest encroachments
outside existing corridor
Significant encroachments
outside existing corridor
Caltrain Maintenance
Facility Maintains access Loses access
Overall, compared to the At-Grade Alternative, the Elevated Alternative has a substantially higher cost, longer construction duration, and more significant encroachment outside of the existing Caltrain rail right-of-way. Additionally, and most importantly, the Elevated Alternative has a fatal flaw related to the Caltrain Maintenance Facility: the elevated tracks cannot descend quickly enough to connect with the southern entrance to the maintenance facility, given required track slopes and curvatures.
The At-Grade Alternative preserves and adapts the main Historic Depot and essentially avoids the PG&E Substation site. Further engineering will be prepared near the PG&E site to confirm this finding and establish an appropriate construction buffer. This is a particularly complex area where multiple tracks at the station merge to few.
Regarding rail crossings, unlike the Elevated Alternative, the At-Grade does not, by design, require new or replace existing grade separations. However, given the condition of existing infrastructure, desire for better connectivity across the tracks (particularly for people walking and bicycling), and future train traffic levels, the following needed crossing improvements have been identified beyond those required by the station/track improvements:
- Park Avenue: Alter the roadway and improving multimodal connectivity, in line with the Diridon Station Area Plan.
- San Carlos Street: Replace the existing, aging roadway bridge with a new, multimodal bridge.
- Auzerais Avenue: Create a new grade separation by lowering the roadway under the rail track, reprofile the roadway, add new pedestrian and bike facilities, and address neighborhood access.
6.a
Attachment A
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
- West Virginia Street: Close the road to vehicles and create a new pedestrian and bike undercrossing with associated neighborhood access improvements.
Additional associated improvements include noise/sound barriers. The locations and design for the noise/sound barriers will need to be developed. And lastly, the reconfiguration of Stockton Avenue/The Alameda, a critical intersection just west of the station connecting to Santa Clara Street, will need to be evaluated. The intersection, which currently does not function optimally, will need to be rebuilt given the lower roadway profile required by the at-grade station. Other opportunities to improve functionality, including for the bus and passenger drop off facility, will also be explored.
Community Engagement
Given the findings from the constructability analysis, additional community outreach was conducted in March and April. Community engagement included three events held on March 13 th, April 1st, and April 2nd. The engagement focused on key findings of the constructability analysis, as well as access, connectivity, and design treatments in the neighborhoods near West Virginia Street and Auzerais Avenue, and the station/neighborhood interface along the western edge of the station.
There was broad support for the station design and program. Additionally, the following primary feedback was received:
• The project brings big regional mobility benefits. It could also bring big local benefits if it is well-designed and has the right amenities with in it. • The impacts of the project are likely to be felt more locally; it will be critical to address safety, noise, and connectivity as part of the program to create a neighborhood and citywide asset, rather than a liability.
• The blend of historic and modern is successful in both alternatives. Arrival experience at the station, both by train and from downtown, is improved over status quo. • Appreciate that spaces closest to rail concourses are devoted to pedestrians. • Appreciate transparency that this is a big project with impacts that will cost a lot of money and take a long time to build.
• Appreciate broad and thoughtful public engagement process conducted to date.
The following feedback regarding construction was received:
• Increased rents and business displacement are concerning. • Reliable access to businesses by all modes of transportation, both during construction and afterwards, for customers should be provided.
• Reliable loading, building servicing should be provided. • Lessons from past transit construction projects like Alum Rock BRT should be applied. • Clear communication, including signage, appropriate for all modes, whether those on foot, bike, or car during construction and permanent is needed. • Affordable rents, partnerships and support during construction phase are needed.
Additional access studies and discussions with targeted neighborhoods will continue related to grade crossing improvements at West Virginia Street and Auzerais Avenue and station interfaces in the central station area, particularly related to Plant 51 and Laurel Grove Lane.
6.a
Attachment A
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Based on conceptual design, findings of the constructability analysis, and community engagement, staff recommends approval of the recommended At-Grade Station Alternative and Diridon Program of Projects for environmental review, the next phase of work.
The Diridon Program of Projects for environmental review includes:
• At-Grade Station Alternative (platforms, tracks, historic station, concourse, plazas, bus facility, light rail station, other effected improvements) • West Virgina Street closure and new pedestrian and bike undercrossing • Auzerais Avenue grade separation
• San Carlos Street bridge replacement
• Park Avenue reconfiguration
• Noise/sound barriers at select crossings/locations
• Stockton Avenue/The Alameda reconfiguration
NEXT STEPS:
The environmental review process is expected to take up to three years to complete. This summer, we are scheduled to select and award the environmental consulting contract. During the following approximately 12-month period, additional technical work will be prepared and community engagement continued to support preparation of the environmental “project definition”. Particular technical efforts include: neighborhood access studies; developing construction strategies to reduce impacts; developing program phasing options; and assessing project delivery options.
6.a
Attachment A
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
Community Engagement Report | Diridon Station Business Case Page 1 of 24 May 2025
Prepared by the City of San José with support from Winter Consulting May 2025
Community Engagement Report
Diridon Station Business Case
Attachment B
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
Community Engagement Report | Diridon Station Business Case Page 2 of 24 May 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 3 B. OUTREACH GOALS AND STRATEGIES ............................................................................................. 5 C. SUMMARY OF COMPLETED ACTIVITIES ....................................................................................... 10 D. PROMOTION OF ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................ 13 E. WHAT WE HEARD ........................................................................................................................ 16
Attachment B
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
Community Engagement Report | Diridon Station Business Case Page 3 of 24 May 2025
A. Introduction
With recently electrified Caltrain service, and BART, high-speed rail, and other increased transit service coming in the future, San José Diridon Station is poised to become one of the most significant transit hubs in the western United States. To accommodate many more people, trains, and other transit service, five public agencies have been working together under a cooperative agreement to redesign the station. The five agencies (partner agencies) include Caltrain, the City of San José, the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA), the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA).
As shown in Figure 1, the effort began in 2018 with the Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan (DISC). DISC produced a “Concept Layout,” which the governing bodies of the five partner agencies each accepted in 2020. The partner agencies then worked together with adjacent property owners to refine the Concept Layout though 2022. In 2023, they began the current phase of work, the Business Case. This effort aims to identify a cost-effective and implementable preferred alternative, one that aligns both with goals of the community and of the partner agencies. The Business Case will conclude in spring 2025 with the selection of a recommended station alternative.
The Business Case has included significant community engagement, beginning with select stakeholders in late 2023 and then expanding to include the broader community in 2024 and 2025. All engagement work for the Business Case has built off prior efforts under DISC and under the land use planning effort for the Diridon Station Area, the Diridon Station Area Plan (DSAP).
The following report presents feedback from engagement conducted from late 2023 through April 2025. It is divided into the following sections:
• Outreach goals and strategies
• A summary of completed activities
• Promotion of activities
• Engagement takeaways
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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Figure 1. Timeline for the Diridon Station Project
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B. Outreach Goals and Strategies
Key goals for the engagement process included building on prior input (from both DSAP and DISC), gathering community feedback on station alternatives, fostering excitement and ownership, and shaping the single preferred station alternative that will be advanced into the environmental review phase.
Engagement teams from Winter and Kimley-Horn supported the partner agencies in a variety of interactive activities to support this effort. Activities took place in and around Diridon Station, on transit vehicles serving Diridon Station, at select key transit nodes elsewhere in San José, in downtown San José, as well as virtually when appropriate. The outreach program also featured an online open house. Activities featured informational materials designed to encourage participation and ensure stakeholders were well- informed.
The engagement strategy has prioritized equity, inclusivity, and accessibility by meeting communities where they are and by using culturally sensitive and multilingual approaches.
Through diverse methods ranging from online and in-person workshops to intimate meetings with community partners, the process has sought to ensure meaningful, community-driven outcomes. This process has been enriched by the participation of trusted community leaders and local organizations, neighbors, landowners, and developers.
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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Figure 2. Jessica Zenk and Eric Eidlin from the City of San José presented on the Diridon Station Project and engaged in conversation with neighbors at the Gardner Community Center Figure 3. Exhibit on station alternatives
at Diridon Station
Figure 4. City and Diridon Partner Agencies led a walking tour of the Gregory Plaza neighborhood with neighborhood residents
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Historical Context
When conducting outreach, the partner agencies have been mindful of the legacy of transportation impacts in the neighborhoods surrounding Diridon Station. These neighborhoods – including Gardner, Gregory Plaza, Hannah, Delmas Park, Washington- Guadalupe, and others – have been disproportionately impacted by the construction of large transportation projects since the early 1900s, including the rail corridor, Interstate 280 (I-280), and State Route 87 (SR-87). These projects have exacerbated physical, social, and economic divides in neighborhoods that had already been harmed by racially discriminatory practices, including redlining, in the early 1900s.
The construction of Southern Pacific Railroad in the early 1900s, and the re-routing of rail service around San José’s historic center, split the Gardner neighborhood. The railroad corridor became a physical barrier between lower-income and wealthier neighborhoods.
Additionally, in the 1960s, the construction of I-280 separated neighborhoods north and south of the freeway, impacting connectivity and exacerbating air and noise pollution.
These neighborhoods were further divided by the construction of State Route 87, which was built in phases over three decades. Construction began with the I-280/SR-87 interchange in the mid-1960s. An extension of the freeway north to Taylor Street was subsequently completed in 1988 and an extension south to SR-85 was completed in 1993.
These projects and the neighborhoods that they go through are shown in Figure 5. A full timeline of transportation impacts is shown in Figure 6.
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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Figure 5. Major transportation corridors and neighborhoods south and east of Diridon Station
Figure 6. Timeline of infrastructure projects in neighborhoods near Diridon Station
N
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These transportation projects divided neighborhoods and displaced many residents whose homes were demolished to make way for the transportation corridors. Areas adjacent to the transportation corridors that were not directly impacted by construction were negatively affected by noise, pollution, and visual impacts. In turn, this led to blight and an increase in crime according to many neighborhood residents. Efforts to address these impacts included funding for neighborhood improvements, but the effectiveness of these interventions has been hampered by a lack of sustained support and funding. Local volunteers continue to advocate for neighborhood improvements, warning that further transportation changes could lead to increased crime and a return to earlier blighted conditions.
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C. Summary of Completed Activities
Across the 40 events held during this phase, the team engaged with over 5,700 community members about the station redesign. These activities ranged from intimate meetings with local leaders and brief interactions with stakeholders at community pop-ups. The team also developed a survey paired with informational videos that detailed each aspect of the project. In order to receive the broadest and most complete community input, the team made intentional efforts to reach the community where they were by attending meeting and events organized by neighborhood groups.
Table 1. List of community engagement events
Event Type Location Date and Time No. of
Touchpoints
Historic Working Group Virtual 10/25/202 3
11/9/2023
3/27/2024
23 Stakeholder Meetings Virtual A pril, May,
September,
October 2024,
March, April 2025
61 Community Member
Meetings
Virtual 8/19/2024
10/8/2024
10/9/2024
3 Pop-up Viva Calle 9/8/2024 150
Open House Gardner
C
ommunity
Center
9/12/2024 120
Caltrain Electrification
Launch Party – San José
Diridon Station 9/21/2024 150 *
estimate
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Event Type Location Date and Time No. of
Touchpoints
D3 Neighborhood
Leaders Meeting
Virtual 10/16/202 4 10
D6 Neighborhood
Leaders Meeting
Virtual 10/7/2024 10
Gardner Neighborhood
Association Meeting
In-Person 10/16/202 4 15
Delmas Park Neighbors
Meeting
In-Person 10/23/202 4 9
Pop-up Diridon St ation 10/23/2024 100
Pop-up Whole Foods 10/26/202 4 41
Pop-up SAP Center 10/29/202 4 40
Pop-up Eastridge Transit
C
enter
10/30/2024 20
Pop-up Berryessa Transit
St
ation
11/2/2024 20
In-Field Community
Meetings & Walking
Tours
Gardner
n
eighborhood
11/9/2024 (with
“makeup” on
11/19/2024)
40 Pop-up SAP Center 11/29/202 4 90
Vista Center for the
Blind Focus Group
Virtual 12/10/ 2024 9
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Event Type Location Date and Time No. of
Touchpoints
Focused Small Group
Discussion
San José C ity Hall 12/11/2024 12
Exhibit Opening Diridon Station 12/12/202 4 35
Station Exhibit Diridon Station 12/13/202 4 –
3/1/2025
1,535*
estimate
Online Open House Online 11/8/202 4-
1/3/2025
28 Shasta Hanchett
Neighborhood
Association Annual
Meeting
Westminster
Pr
esbyterian
Church
2/8/2025 75
Prosperity Lab Focus
Group
Center for
Em
ployment
Training San José
2/14/2025 5
Community Meeting Gardner
C
ommunity
Center
3/13/2025 65
In-Field Community
Meeting & Walking Tour
Gardner
Ne
ighborhood
4/1/2025 25
Community Meeting
Mailers
Direct to homes &
bu
sinesses
September &
March
3,525
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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D. Promotion of Activities
To gather feedback from the diverse group of community members and stakeholders that are invested in the future of Diridon Station, the engagement team used a variety of promotional strategies. To ensure the broadest possible awareness among residents and businesses about engagement and feedback opportunities, the team sent mailers to homes, posted flyers at popular local businesses and other locations, and tabled at locations and events frequented by neighbors. To reach the broader transit-riding community, the team cast a wider net by sending email blasts, posting joint social media posts with the partner agencies, and distributing flyers on Caltrain and Capitol Corridor.
The team also tabled in locations where riders would be, such as at Diridon Station and the Eastridge Transit Center during commute hours.
Some of the specific actions the team took to inform the public about engagement activities included:
• Holding a City Council Study Session in August 2024 to ensure broad public and City Council awareness of the project.
• Organizing a celebration of the opening of Caltrain’s Electrified Service, an event attended by over 4,000 people, to raise awareness about the Station redesign effort and electrified Caltrain service.
• Collaborating with Amtrak station agents and Diridon Station employees at Diridon Station to hand out promotional items to riders.
• Distributing flyers at businesses and at public areas throughout surrounding neighborhoods.
• Distributing flyers on trains serving Diridon Station, including on Caltrain and on Capitol Corridor.
• Sending out e-mail blasts to previous project participants. • Sending mailers to residents and businesses in affected neighborhoods. • Attending neighborhood and business association meetings for interested communities, including the Gardner Neighborhood Association, Delmas Park Neighborhood Association, Alameda-Park Neighborhood Association, Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association, Plant 51 community, Stakeholders + Neighborhoods Initiative (S+NI), the Downtown Homeowner’s Association, the Alameda Business Association, and the San José Downtown Association.
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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• Partnering with two community-based organizations, the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Prosperity Lab.
• Holding multiple pop-ups to promote general awareness about the project and to promote the September open house, November in-field community meeting, and March community and in-field meetings.
• Promoting the open house, as well as community and in-field meetings, in the local City Council representative's newsletter.
• Promoting the community meetings and online open house on the social media accounts of the partner agencies.
Figures 7 and 8. Flyers promoting the project’s in-person open house were posted at Palm Haven Park (left) and on the Los Gatos Creek Trail bridge at Gregory and Fuller (right), among other locations Attachment B
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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Figure 9. Map of the locations where flyers promoting community engagement events were posted throughout the Diridon Station area, as well as the Gardner and Tamien neighborhoods
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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E. What We Heard
This section provides highlights of the feedback received from late 2023 through April 2025. Overall, the team captured over 800 individual comments from approximately 760 community members. It is important to note that although this represents a significant amount of feedback, there were many people who received information about the project without providing feedback on project details. This includes visitors to the www.diridonsj.org we bsite, as well as people who viewed the exhibit at Diridon Station.
The qualitative feedback is categorized into the following two sections.
General Feedback
•
What people liked
• Primary concerns
• Reactions to At-Grade Alternative
• Reactions to Elevated Alternative
• What people wanted to know more
about
Topical Feedback
• Accessibility
• Amenities
• Circulation
• Community
• Design & Infrastructure
• Environmental
• Operations & Service
General Feedback
What people liked | The following highlights the aspects that community members supported for both alternatives. Across all engagement activities, the team recorded 87 comments of clear support for the project or an aspect of the project. • Both transit advocates and the general public supported the prospect of improved regional mobility through the redesigned station.
• Respondents felt that the redesigned station prioritized modes appropriately, particularly by allocating ample space for pedestrians in locations most central to the station.
• People liked the improved arrival experience offered by the redesigned station and associated plazas.
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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• Community members appreciated both the preservation of the historic station hall and modifications to the historic assets to improve the functionality of the station.
They also generally felt that the redesigned station successfully blended historic station components with new architectural elements.
• Community members placed importance and preference for the alternative that would ensure the most timely and efficient completion.
• Transit advocates were especially excited for the economic prospects and greater connectivity promised by the future station.
• People appreciated the thoughtful and thorough public engagement process.
Primary concerns | The following highlights the concerns for community members for both alternatives. Across all engagement activities, the team received 67 comments expressing concerns, either about current conditions or about aspects of the proposed designs that could require additional consideration.
• Community members raised concerns around potential flooding (especially in underpasses), maintenance, overcrowding, undersized station entrances, as well as concerns about heat or glare from the natural light that would penetrate into the station.
• Community members expressed hope that the station project would have a net positive impact on open spaces and vegetation along tracks leading into the station.
Some expressed specific concerns about the preservation of Fuller Park and the potential loss of mature trees.
• Respondents expressed dissatisfaction with maintenance of the rail corridor currently, highlighting particular concerns about illegal dumping and pigeons roosting in underpasses. These individuals called for better maintenance of the existing rail corridor.
• People were curious about property impacts due to rail expansion, including changes to neighborhood access, parking, and impacts to existing amenities such as parks.
• Some respondents expressed concern about noise, vibration, and visual impacts of the designs.
• Some respondents opposed the potential removal of benches from the historic station hall. These individuals asked that adequate seating be provided in the future station, particularly for people with disabilities, elders, and long-haul passengers.
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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Reactions to the At-Grade Alternative | Community members shared the following thoughts about the At-Grade Alternative:
• The arrival experience is slightly better with the historic building more prominent. • While some appreciated the design of the historic hall with the floor cut out and the creation of a gallery, there was not universal support for this idea, particularly for accessibility or rest areas needed for people with disabilities. • This alternative is more cost- and time-efficient and would result in less construction disruption than the Elevated Alternative. Transit/rail riders particularly appreciated the shorter construction disruption.
• There was mixed feedback about the superstructure design of the roof. • There were concerns about property impacts, especially at Auzerais Avenue, West Virginia Street, and Stockton Avenue.
• There were concerns about maintaining adequate access across the tracks.
Reactions to the Elevated Alternative | Community members shared the following thoughts about the Elevated Alternative:
• Support for better local street, neighborhood, and multimodal connections, which is especially beneficial for pedestrians, bicyclists, and emergency responders. • Support for easy access to the planned shops & community spaces. • Appreciation that this alternative avoids many road complications. • Preference for flatter roads.
• Appreciation that this design allows for an intuitive bike path design, one that is accessible for a wide spectrum of users.
• Concerns about visual impacts of elevated tracks.
• Concerns about maintenance and the need for programming of spaces under future elevated tracks.
What people wanted to know more about | The highlights listed below are the topics that people were curious to learn more about:
• Benefits to residents directly adjacent to the station and tracks. • More details on pedestrian crossings at tracks and streets. • Maintenance (e.g. proposed roof).
• Intermodal connections, specifically to BART and buses.
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• Accommodating freight service, particularly with respect to the Vasona Line. On this point, community members mentioned the decision in 2023 to permanently close the Permanente Quarry in Cupertino, the primary business that the Vasona Line serves.
Topical Feedback
This section breaks down feedback received into more topical categories and gives more detail about community desires, interests, concerns, and recommendations.
Accessibility | Community members showed interest in ensuring the station is accessible in the following ways:
• There was desire for clear wayfinding and minimizing walking distances within the station.
• Comprehensive accessibility was important for the design of both alternatives, using ideas such as universal design, trams, or elevators. • People were interested in wheelchair accessibility, and in infrastructure that accommodates all mobility needs.
• Community members desire well-organized parking areas with clear, accessible routes between lots and platforms along with comprehensive, well-connected bus routes.
• Focus group participants suggested the following features for people who are blind or have low vision: edge detection, truncated domes, beacon systems, tactile maps, and tactile flooring.
• Community members asked to consider making PA system announcements clear to hear for navigational purposes.
• Station staff do not always see participants waiting in the disabled boarding area.
The project team should consider creating a way to notify staff that assistance is needed.
Amenities | When asked about the type of amenities or services that the community would like to have at or near the station, the following were those most commonly named:
• Practical amenities such as bathrooms, ample seating, water bottle-filling stations, shade and shelter, and public Wi-Fi.
• Local businesses that provide various dining and grocery options for convenience and leisure, places to buy food and drink, such as cafes, restaurants, bars, markets, and grocery stores.
• Local retail and entertainment options, outlets, or a shopping center.
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• Landscaping—particularly trees—that is sustainable, and that provides shelter and shade.
• For travelers, amenities such as car and bike parking, baggage storage, and lodging. • Public art and educational content about the history of San José, including educational information and/or artwork celebrating the history and importance of native people.
• Spaces for community use and socialization, such as farmers markets, seasonal events, winter markets, live music, or general open plaza space. • Recreational and green spaces such as a dog park and athletic courts. • Family-friendly spaces including play areas.
• Elements that would contribute to a unique cultural identity at Diridon Station, with spaces featuring local food, rotating vendors, and large art installations. The San Francisco Ferry Building was named as a strong example. • Shops, services, and amenities that would make Diridon Station a destination in its own right through unique products, ambiance, and community-friendly spaces.
These features would make the station more community-oriented and would attract investors.
Figure 10. Word cloud of the amenities that community members requested at the future station Attachment B
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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Circulation | Community members had the following suggestions or concerns about circulation with the redesign:
• Increased traffic in the area could heighten the risk for break-ins. • Some worried that closing West Virginia to cars – as proposed in the at-grade alternative – would likely impact emergency vehicle and services access to the area, potentially exacerbating the historical harms already imposed on the Gardner and Gregory Plaza neighborhoods by past transportation projects. Improvements at Fuller and Bird avenues, as well as other options, should be considered to compensate for the loss of access.
• Some residents of Plant 51 provided the following comments:
o They asked that Park Avenue be considered as the primary east/west connection for people on bikes across the tracks instead of San Fernando Street / Laurel Grove Lane to allow continued auto access to their parking garage via Laurel Grove Lane.
o If the bikeway through the station is maintained along San Fernando Street / Laurel Grove Lane, there was a request to investigate shifting the bike/ped facility to the south side of the street in order to maintain access to Plant 51’s southern garage gate.
o Concern about congestion during SAP Center events. They made the specific request that specific measures should be taken to prevent double-parking and passenger pick-up and drop-offs along red curb zones on Laurel Grove Lane.
Community | Pertaining to community considerations, people were mostly interested in the following key themes:
• Many expressed a desire for the station to be as accessible as possible by bicycle. • There is an interest in keeping neighborhoods together and in reducing impacts to nearby properties.
• There is a desire to account for business needs, as they differ from residential needs.
o Business owners highlighted the need for affordable rents, partnerships, and support during the construction phase.
o Some offered lessons from past projects that highlighted the need for clear signage, communication, and parking availability during construction. o Residents raised concerns about how access to local shops could be impacted by changes to rail crossings, particularly at Auzerais Avenue and West Virginia Street.
• Community members raised concerns that the grade separation treatments proposed at Auzerais Avenue and West Virginia Street could further isolate pockets of neighborhoods that have already been divided by past transportation projects.
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Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation
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There were particular concerns about impacts to the social fabric of the Gregory Plaza and Gardner neighborhoods, both of which have only recently recovered from long-standing gang activity.
• People requested a transparent and accessible process for collecting and meaningfully using community feedback in decision-making for the duration of this project and into the future.
• People raised safety considerations for vulnerable populations like seniors and children in waiting areas for pickup. Some participants reported feeling unsafe due to the presence of unhoused individuals at the Diridon Station. • Residents shared strong concerns about pedestrian safety and walkability in the neighborhoods, stating that they want more community features like art, benches, and clear, safe sidewalks.
• Residents were concerned with widespread tree removal. They asked that trees removed by the station project be replaced in order to maintain tree canopies. • There was strong concern about further displacement resulting from the reconstruction of the station and track approaches, particularly for marginalized communities. There was also a request for these communities to continue to be represented in the engagement process and their needs to be recognized and championed by elected officials.
• There were suggestions to prioritize inclusivity in addressing the needs of underserved communities and involving diverse voices in the planning process.
Design & Infrastructure | Community members showed excitement about the station redesign. The following section highlights their suggestions and desires for four aspects:
station design, historical features, building design, and pedestrian and bike inclusive design:
Station design
• There was strong interest in a station that blends well with surrounding neighborhoods, supports residential and business connections, and creates a vibrant downtown environment.
• There was a desire for design that allows visibility of trains as they travel throughout the corridor, creating a unique, open atmosphere that enhances the station's role as a central attraction.
• People reacted positively to features like flatter underpasses and more direct concourse-to-track connections.
• People showed preference for a design that allows for open, functional, and visually appealing concourses and plaza spaces.
• Community members showed support for removing at-grade train crossings and introducing separated rail crossings for improved safety and efficiency.
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• People were concerned about the visual impacts of roof canopies that appear to be higher than Diridon Station in the Elevated Alternative.
Historical features
• Many expressed a desire to maintain the historic aspects of the station as much as possible.
• Many community members also requested that the aesthetics of the current building be preserved; they also asked that awareness of the area’s history be further elevated with new elements such as murals and monuments. • There was a recommendation that the structure could be used as a landmark for photo opportunities and recognition across the Bay Area.
Building design
• Community members expressed interest in preserving the building's beautiful brick and supported making the building a grand focal point in the community to mark its history.
• There was strong appreciation for maintaining the view of the historic depot building, ensuring its visibility from platforms, and preserving its character while incorporating modern enhancements.
• There was preference for lowering the awning by one story in order to preserve the same distance between the new ground plane and the awning. There was also a preference for connecting the upper and lower window sections, though some respondents raised questions about the impact of additional sunlight.
Pedestrian and bike inclusive design
• Community members emphasized bike-ability, with dedicated bike lanes, ample bike parking, drop-off areas, and open, pedestrian-friendly spaces. • Community members emphasized minimizing walking distances, improving wayfinding, and enhancing bus connections and safety features. Some recommended traffic-calming features, such as speed bumps or protected bike lanes, to ensure safety.
• Many people showed interest in emergency vehicles access, safety design for pedestrians such as lighting at under crossings, bicycle separation methods, and vehicular speeds.
• There were concerns about cyclist and pedestrian safety in underpasses. • There was a preference for the bike tunnel that would seem to reduce vehicle-bicycle conflict on Bush Street and Laurel Grove Lane. • Residents, including those whose children attend Gardner Elementary, shared that they do not feel safe using the pedestrian underpass on Bird Avenue between West Virginia Street and Fuller Avenue.
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• People advocated for improved pedestrian and bike-friendly connections, especially at crossings like Julian and Santa Clara streets, as well as Park Avenue.
Environmental | Community members identified the following environmental concerns or questions about the station redesign:
• Some community members raised questions about the impacts the project might have on the Los Gatos Creek Trail including noise pollution from increased train service. Some raised particular concerns about noise impacts in the Elevated Alternative.
• Some expressed concerns about noise pollution and how it could affect nearby neighborhoods, including dog-walking areas; they shared interest in options that could mitigate sound from traffic and trains around the station, such as soundwalls. • There was interest in sustainable design elements, including shade, trees, and protection from the elements for transit users.
• There was a recommendation to include “quality of life” as a factor in the redesign. • Some community members requested to keep the sycamore trees on White Street. s
Operations & Service | This section provides highlights about questions, suggestions, or concerns that people had about station and transit operations and service:
• Some community members had a specific concern about when Amtrak or Capitol Corridor trains sometimes block the road (especially at Auzerais Avenue) or when there are “ghost closings,” meaning that the gates go down when trains do not cross.
• People requested that the station design facilitates transfers for riders who use multiple modes of transit or other last-mile modes to access the station. These individuals asked to include infrastructure such as bike racks and easy connection to Caltrain, VTA Light Rail, and VTA BART lines.
• People asked for smooth transfers between travel modes with direct light rail, bus lines, and shuttles connecting to key destinations such as San José State University.
• Some people had concerns about managing maintenance, overcrowding, and cost, both for project construction and ongoing maintenance.
• Community members named a desire for comprehensive, well-connected bus routes.
Attachment B
Subject: Acceptance of May 21, 2025, Diridon Steering Committee Recommendation