Redwood City Transit District - Opportunity for Better Biking in Downtown Redwood City
City of Redwood City is in the process of redeveloping its Transit District. The Transit District plans for shopping, jobs, and housing with a new transit center for trains and buses in the heart of Downtown. The redevelopment of the Transit District creates a once in a lifetime opportunity to rebuild the train station with more space for tracks, station amenities, and safer grade separations. New housing and jobs would be created along with neighborhood shopping that features Safeway and CVS and other community amenities. The project has the following components:
Grade Separation - Grade separations at Caltrain crossings will improve traffic operation at nearby intersections and allow for increased Caltrain service to Redwood City and the region. This project also improves safety and connectivity for people biking and walking by creating enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities (see examples here).
Station Design, including better bike parking. Redwood City station needs to be redeveloped as a “transit hub” to allow for transfers between express and local trains to meet Caltrain’s 2040 service vision.
Sequoia Station Redevelopment - This would include a combination of multifamily residential, retail, office space, community amenities, open space and other activities as well as the opportunity to build protected bikeways on El Camino Real. Read more below.
Transit Center and A-1 Party Rental Sites: The Transit Center property, owned by Caltrain, will also be providing land for track expansion. Additional housing is possible on both these properties, which together with Sequoia Station, could include up to 900 homes.
Reimagine SamTrans - This identifies the strengths and challenges in the current bus system to increase service and ridership, operational efficiency and improve the experience for riders. The parking lots that run parallel to the tracks could be redesigned into a modern bus transfer station.
Dumbarton Rail Corridor - This proposed project would provide a new transit option from the Caltrain Sequoia/ Redwood City station to the Union City BART station. SVBC has been advocating for a parallel trail connection alongside any future transit on the Dumbarton Corridor.
Sequoia Station Redevelopment Project
Sequoia Station Development
Sequoia Station is the largest development opportunity in the Downtown Core that has significant frontage both on the future Caltrain expansion frontage and El Camino Real. This project aims to update the existing retail with new office and residential development while keeping key businesses, provide Redwood City and Caltrain land for future track expansion and electrification, as well as integrate with regional Cross Bay (Dumbarton) planning efforts to connect the Peninsula and East Bay. The project’s design focuses on creating biking and walking connections.The project is a transformational opportunity for strengthening connections and public places. It will provide space for expansion of regional and local rail infrastructure, provide 30-42% affordable housing, reduced parking ratios (upto 50% to code) for office and residential - directly on rail to encourage use of transit and less car dependency - all of which align with SVBC’s policy agenda and Redwood City’s Climate Action Plan goals.We’d like to specifically emphasize some of the bike improvements the developer has planned:
Implementing the El Camino Real Corridor Plan - building protected bikeways on El Camino Real along the property
Creating safe biking and walking connections from existing neighborhoods to downtown Redwood City
Bike Barn - Publicly accessible commuter bike storage
Removing the at-grade parking to underground, creating a public realm that is less auto-centric and provides space for public plazas
Project partners: The redevelopment of Sequoia Station is a transformational opportunity to collaborate between project developers (Lowe and Eden Housing), property owners (Regency, Safeway and SamTrans), Caltrain, Redwood City and the community. Multiple retail tenants, transit partners, property owners and development stakeholders are aligned at this moment to reinvent Sequoia Station and the Redwood City Transit District.
Next Steps/Action Alert:
January 25, 2021 - Check-in with the City Council on progress to date about Transit District outreach and the future schedule. Please attend this meeting to provide public comments in support of this project since it addresses housing as well as active transportation needs!
Wednesday, February 3, 2021, Preliminary Grade Separation Alternatives w/ Traffic Focus - Question & Answer Session (5 p.m. start)
Spring/Summer/Fall 2021 - Community meetings on preferred grade separation alternatives, preliminary station design work and the kickoff for the environmental review process for the Transit District Plan.
