This document discusses lessons for transforming planned California high-speed rail stations into major activity hubs. It reviews case studies of successful rail stations in other parts of the world and identifies key factors for California stations. These include providing strong intermodal connections, concentrating a mixture of land uses within walking distance, and locating stations within cities rather than outside of them. Concept plans are proposed showing how Central Valley cities could develop multi-modal hubs anchored by high-speed rail stations.

1. Lessons for Transforming Planned
California High-speed Rail Stations
to Major Activity Hubs
Authors:
Cornelius Kofi Nuworsoo
(Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo)
Elizabeth Deakin
(University of California, Berkeley)
Jack R. Widmeyer Transportation Research Conference
California State University – San Bernardino
CSUSB – Nov. 6, 2009 1

2. Outline
 Background to the Study
 Potential Impacts of High Speed Rail
 Key Lessons for California
 Application Concepts
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3. 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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4. 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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5. 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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6. 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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7. 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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8. 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
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9. Union Station, Washington DC
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10. 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
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11. Orient-Station: Lisbon, Portugal
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12. 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)
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13. TGV Train Station, Lyon, France
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14. 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
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15. TGV Train Station, Lille, France
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16. 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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17. 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
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18. Establishing visual
connections
Strong pedestrian
connection using wide
sidewalks and trees
HSR Station
Potential BRT
Urban plazas &
corridor
parks
Application Concepts

19. Multi Block Simulation for Application Concepts
HSR Station
High density office & retail along major avenues,
with lower density residential neighborhoods within walking distance
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20. Conclusions
The 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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21. Thanks
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22. Los Angeles Union Station
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