What is the difference between the Grade Separation and Access Project and the Master Plan?

The Mountain View Transit Center Master Plan, completed in 2017, is a planning document that identified facilities needed to serve current and future demands at the transit center. The plan noted that, with the modernization of Caltrain, there would be a growth in ridership at the transit center and increased frequency of trains crossing at Castro Street. To address both of these factors, the Master Plan recommended, among other things, the closure of the Castro Street crossing of the Caltrain tracks and Central Expressway to vehicle traffic and improvement of pedestrian and bicycle access to the transit center.

The Grade Separation and Access Project serves as a step toward the vision laid out in the Master Plan, implementing the grade-separated pedestrian and bicycle crossings of Central Expressway, the Evelyn Avenue ramp, the closure of Castro Street at the rail tracks, and other station access improvements.  The Grade Separation and Access Project has completed environmental review and is currently in project design phases.

How will a grade-separation improve the movement of pedestrians across Central Expressway and the Caltrain tracks?

The Grade Separation and Access Project includes a wide, well-lit undercrossing of the rail tracks and Central Expressway for both pedestrian and cyclists, eliminating the safety hazard and delay of crossing the busy roadway and train tracks. The undercrossings will improve access from the north side of Central Expressway to both the Transit Center and Downtown Mountain View.

Will I still be able to drive to Downtown Mountain View?

Traffic studies found that auto use of Castro Street at the rail tracks has dropped in recent years, even with Downtown Mountain View thriving. Most vehicles use other streets such as Shoreline Boulevard to access Downtown. Traffic that currently uses Castro Street will be able to access downtown via other routes and a new ramp will be constructed to connect Shoreline Boulevard and W Evelyn Avenue to provide additional options into downtown.

How will a grade-separation improve the movement of pedestrians through this intersection?

The Grade Separation and Access Project includes a wide, well-lit undercrossing of the rail tracks and Central Expressway for both pedestrian and cyclists, eliminating the safety hazard and delay of crossing the busy roadway and train tracks. The undercrossings will benefit movements to both the Transit Center and Downtown Mountain View.

How will the grade separated pedestrian and bicycle improvements be integrated into the transit center?

Integration of pedestrian and bicycle improvements into the Grade Separation and Access Project is important if it is to be successful. The pedestrian and bicycle undercrossing will allow access to surface-level transportation services and will include ADA-compliant ramps and handrails, easy-to-use signs and wayfinding, and stairways with bike channels.

Will there be traffic analysis done to evaluate the effects of the alternatives on neighborhood streets?

A comprehensive traffic analysis will be completed as part of the environmental analysis to assess the effects of the re-routing of auto and bus traffic that will occur with the closure of Castro Street and Moffett Boulevard. The findings will be included in the project’s environmental document.

Will the traffic analysis account for pedestrians and bicycles?

Yes. Pedestrians, bicycles, and transit vehicles (both public and private) will be included along with autos in the circulation analysis.

How do these grade separation alternatives account for the possibility of high-speed rail being implemented in the future?

The timing and implementation of California high-speed rail is still uncertain. The current high-speed rail business plan, released in June 2018, establishes the initial phase extending as far north as San Jose, with future plans to extend to San Francisco. This project is coordinating with the California High-Speed Rail Authority, and the planned grade separation includes flexibility to allow for the addition of high-speed rail without significantly affecting the proposed improvements.

With these grade separations, can we qualify as a Caltrain “Quiet Zone” where there would be no need to blast the horn?

Train engineers are required to sound the horn when approaching public at-grade crossings, such as the one immediately west of the station at Castro Street/Moffett Boulevard. With this crossing closed to auto and pedestrian traffic, engineers will no longer have to sound their horns here. Trains may still sound the train bell or horn when departing the station, but the frequency of train horn sounds should be greatly reduced, if not eliminated, with the Grade Separation and Access Project.

Have you studied an alternative that keeps Castro Street at grade while depressing Caltrain under the roadway?

Yes, the project team evaluated the feasibility of lowering the tracks. That alternative was not advanced for further study due to the significant additional cost that it would entail. The location of Stevens Creek approximately ½ mile east of Castro Street would require the tracks to go beneath the creek to a depth of nearly 50 feet. Thus, the rail tracks would need to be depressed for over two miles between Sunnyvale and just east of Rengstorff Avenue. The cost of implementing such a solution would have been several times that of the current solution and beyond what could be expected to receive funding.

Have you considered elevating the rail tracks as a grade separation alternative?

Elevating the rail tracks more than a few feet would require a very costly reconstruction of the Shoreline Boulevard over-crossing. It would also have the potential to increase train noise and visual impacts on downtown, as the transit station platforms would have to be raised as well. Therefore, this alternative was not studied further.

What about raising the tracks just a few feet?

Elevating the tracks a few feet would reduce the depth of the pedestrian undercrossings beneath the tracks by a few feet, but would be very expensive for the benefit gained. The station platforms would need to be completely reconstructed, which would adversely affect Caltrain operations and transit center access for an extended period of time.

Will the transit center include more bike parking?

Yes, increasing the amount of bike parking is an important part of the Transit Center Master Plan, which calls for 800 bike parking spaces, up from just over 100 reserved bike lockers and several u-racks. This includes a new bike storage room, bike valet, and other secure bike parking solutions. Some expansion of bike parking will be included in the Grade Separation and Access Project.

Will the Grade Separation and Access Project include transit-oriented development?

The Grade Separation and Access Project only includes improvements to benefit station circulation and access. The Master Plan recommends that the City evaluate the feasibility of development within the station area. The City is anticipating performing that initial evaluation as part of a separate project.