Options for separating Castro from the Caltrain tracks

2. Agenda
• Presentation
• Goals and Objectives
• Process
• Background
• Preliminary Alternatives
• Open House

3. Project Goals
• Develop a Master Plan that
will:
• Identify a preferred solution
that will eliminate the at-
grade crossing at Castro
Street and the railroad tracks
• Improve the functionality of
the Transit Center and
support future growth

4. • Accommodate the expected growth in train service and
station usage
• Train service to more than double over the next 10–15 years
• Relieve delays at the railroad crossing on Castro
• Railroad gate blockages in peak hours to double
• Improve safety and access for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Support the economic vitality and future growth of
downtown Mountain View
• Facilitate traffic circulation in and through the
downtown
Why Is It Needed?

5. Master Plan Schedule

6. Initial Planning
Environmental
Analysis/
Preliminary
Engineering
Design Construction
Steps to a Grade Separation
• Funding yet to be identified
• Potential sources may include regional sales tax measure, high-speed rail,
state funding, other grant funds
• Process includes extensive public input, and coordination with
high-speed rail, Caltrain, County, and VTA
We are
here

7. Existing Challenges - Grade Crossing
• Rail pre-emption of Central Expressway & Castro Street
• Long pedestrian/bicycle delays
• Long vehicle queues and delays
• Long crossing distance of Central Expressway
• Right-turn in/out only at Evelyn Avenue & Castro Street
• Rail tracks and Central Expressway act as barrier to
Moffett area

8. Increase in Train Activity
• Caltrain electrification and High-Speed Rail will increase
train activity on the tracks and at the station
• Number of train crossings to increase from 10 per hour to up
to 20 per hour in next 10-15 years
• Will result in gates coming down every 3 to 4 minutes on
average
• Number of trains anticipated to stop at station
projected to increase from 80 to more than 100 with
electrification

9. Existing Challenges – Transit Center
• Does not meet current demands
• Insufficient shuttle area
• No designated pick-up/drop-off area
• Insufficient bike parking
• At-grade crossing of tracks to get to northbound
Caltrain platform and light-rail tracks
• Large portion of transit center dedicated to surface
parking

10. Grade-Crossing Alternatives
• Range of options to eliminate at-grade crossing
• Options include:
• Lowering Castro Street
• Closing Castro Street
• Raising/lowering rail
• Variations on connectivity between Central Expressway
and Castro Street/Moffett Boulevard
• Considerations for pedestrian and bicycle crossings of
tracks and Central Expressway

11. Access to Downtown

12. Alternative 1 – Lower Castro/Moffett

13. Alternative 1 – Lower Castro/Moffett
• Rail remains at-grade
• Auto
• No connection between Central Expressway and Castro
Street
• Maintain limited connection between Moffett Boulevard &
Central Expressway with at-grade frontage road
• Connect Evelyn Avenue across Castro Street
• Bicycle/Pedestrian
• Ramping to undercrossing below tracks and Central
Expressway
• Bike lanes on Castro/Moffett undercrossing

14. • Maintains vehicle access into downtown from Moffett
Boulevard
• Vehicle access to downtown from Central Expressway
routed to Shoreline Boulevard
• Maintains at-grade sidewalks on
Castro Street south of Evelyn
Avenue
• Likely will require closure of
portion of Castro Street during
construction
Alternative 1 Considerations

15. Alternative 2– Lower Castro/Moffett & Central

16. Alternative 2 – Lower Castro/Moffett & Central
• Rail remains at-grade
• Auto
• Lowers Central Expressway & Castro Street/Moffett Boulevard
intersection
• Maintains at-grade frontage road on east side of Moffett
Boulevard

17. Alternative 2 – Lower Castro/Moffett & Central
• Bicycle/Pedestrian
• Overcrossings (at-grade) above Central Expressway and
Castro/Moffett
• Ramping to undercrossing beneath rail
• Provide pedestrian plaza above depressed Castro Street
• Bike lanes on Castro/Moffett undercrossing
• Option: provide pedestrian plaza above Castro & Central
intersection

18. Alternative 2 Considerations
• Maintains vehicle access into downtown from both
Moffett Boulevard and Central Expressway
• Provides pedestrian crossing above Central Expressway
• Maintains at-grade sidewalks
on Castro Street south of
Evelyn Avenue
• Likely will require closure of
portion of Castro Street
during construction and
impacts to Central Expressway

19. • Raise rail tracks approximately 5 feet
• Slightly reduces extent of grade impacts to Castro
Street and Moffett Boulevard
• Reduces grade change required for bicycles and
pedestrians to pass underneath tracks
• Requires reconstruction of the station platforms
• Likely to lengthen
construction period
Alternative 2 Variation

20. Alternative 3 – Central Median Ramps

21. Alternative 3 – Central Median Ramps
• Rail remains at-grade
• Auto
• Central Expressway remains at grade, but median ramps
provide access down to lowered Castro Street/Moffett
Boulevard
• Maintains at-grade frontage road on east side of Moffett
Boulevard
• Connect Evelyn Avenue across Castro Street
• Bicycle/Pedestrian
• Signalized at-grade crossing of Central Expressway
• Ramping to undercrossing beneath rail
• Bike lanes on Castro/Moffett undercrossing

22. Alternative 3 Considerations
• Maintains vehicle access into downtown from both Moffett
Boulevard and Central Expressway
• Substantially less delay for vehicle movements compared to
Alternative 2
• Requires at-grade bicycle/pedestrian crossing of Central
Expressway
• Maintains at-grade sidewalks
on Castro Street south of
Evelyn Avenue
• Likely will require closure of
portion of Castro Street during
construction

23. Alternative 4 – Close Castro at Tracks

24. Evelyn Connection to Shoreline

25. Alternative 4 – Close Castro at Tracks
• Rail remains at-grade
• Auto
• Close Castro Street at West Evelyn Avenue
• Moffett Boulevard still would intersect Central Expressway
but no connection to Castro Street
• Traffic to downtown re-routed to Shoreline Boulevard or
other routes
• Extend Evelyn Avenue up to Shoreline Boulevard
• Allows for full movements between Evelyn Avenue and
Castro Street

26. • Bicycle/Pedestrian
• Provide elevated or tunnel pedestrian connection across rail
tracks and Central Expressway
Alternative 4 – Close Castro at Tracks

27. • Maintains existing business frontages on Castro Street
and Moffett Boulevard
• May increase traffic congestion on Shoreline
Boulevard and/or SR-85
• Least construction
impacts and lowest cost
relative to other
scenarios
Alternative 4 Considerations

28. Other Alternatives Considered
• Investigated feasibility of raising or lowering the tracks
to reduce effects on Castro Street
• Requires rebuilding Caltrain platforms
• Options limited by Stevens Creek to the east and
Shoreline Boulevard bridge to the west
• Likely associated with increased cost and construction
magnitude

29. Summary of Alternatives
• Differences in level of access maintained between
Moffett Boulevard, Central Expressway, and Castro
Street
• All alternatives include grade separated
bicycle/pedestrian crossing with rail tracks and Central
Expressway
• Details of bicycle and pedestrian connections with
transit center to be refined in subsequent phase of
project
• Significant differences in construction impacts and cost

30. Evaluation of Alternatives
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Circulation
• Conflict points
• Grade changes
• Length of paths
• Auto Access and Congestion
• Integration with downtown
Mountain View
• Transit Center Access and
Circulation
• Bicycle and pedestrian
• Transit
• Auto
• Environmental Considerations
• Visual
• Noise
• Trees
• Construction Impacts
• Access to Businesses
• Auto Circulation
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Circulation
• Access to Transit Center
• Duration
• Cost

31. Project Process
• Community meetings planned for late
Spring and early Fall
• Ongoing coordination with downtown
businesses, Caltrain, high-speed rail,
County of Santa Clara, and VTA

32. Next Steps
• Refinement of Alternatives
• Cost Estimates
• Evaluation of Alternatives
• Outreach and Community Involvement
• City Council Study Session March 22nd
• Public Meeting May/June timeframe
• Downtown Businesses outreach

33. Open House
• Station 1: How do you interact with the grade crossing?
Please place a dot indicating where you live.
Please place dot(s) indicating how you travel on Castro
Street across the grade crossing – for what purpose and
on what mode?
Please place a sticky note on the map and identify any
existing challenges at the grade-crossing or specific
movements that are important to you.

34. Open House
• Station 2: Project Goals, Project Process, Evaluation
Criteria and Other Topics
Please review the project goals, process and schedule,
and evaluation criteria. Identify any additional elements
that should be considered on the provided comment
cards. City staff will be available to discuss any other
comments.

35. • Station 3: Alternatives
Review, ask questions, and discuss the alternatives under
consideration. Using the provided post-it notes, provide
feedback on what features you like and what you would
like to change for each alternative.
Open House

36. For More Information, Receive Project
Updates, or Provide Additional Feedback
www.MountainViewTransitCenter.com