Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan

Click a topic below to expand and read more.

+ What is the Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan (Concept Plan)?

Electrified Caltrain, BART, and High-Speed Rail service will add to the trains, buses, and light rail that currently serve San José Diridon Station. The City of San José has also adopted plans for substantial transit-oriented development near the station, which would bring thousands of new jobs and residents to the area. With these changes, Diridon Station is poised to become one of the busiest intermodal stations on the West Coast. The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), Caltrain, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and the City of San José (Partner Agencies) are working together on a plan to expand and redesign Diridon Station. The goal is to develop a world-class center of transit and public life that provides smooth connections between modes and integration with the surrounding neighborhoods.

+ Upcoming Events and Other News

In February, the San Jose City Council, Caltrain Board, and High-Speed Rail Authority Board accepted the staff-recommended "Concept Layout". The item is scheduled to go to the VTA Board on April 2. Check the VTA Board website) for the latest information on that public meeting.

The project team presented the staff-recommended "Concept Layout" at several public meetings in fall 2019 and at a City Council Study Session in January 2020. The Concept Layout is a high-level spatial layout for the future station, reflecting over a year of collaborative work and supporting analyses. Completing Phase 1 is an important step towards the eventual outcome of the Concept Plan process, which will include a project description for the future intermodal hub and an organizational framework for carrying the project forward toward implementation.

Staff's recommendations for the Concept Layout focus on three "Big Moves" of the station layout: a) vertical configurations for the heavy rail corridor and station platforms; b) the location of the future station concourse; and c) the track approaches from the north and the south into the future station. It also shows the possible ways in which the variety of transportation modes can serve the station (access elements). The Concept Layout is preliminary and subject to further station design development and rail operations analysis. Staff recommended that the policy boards and/or executive management of the four Partner Agencies accept the Concept Layout for further development in Phase 2 of the Concept Plan, in coordination with related planning processes and projects.

Staff presented the Concept Layout to the City Council and requested their direction on December 3, 2019 (see materials). City Council accepted staff’s recommendations to move forward with elevated platforms and two concourses with multiple access points, but requested a study session to further discuss and investigate staff’s recommendation to utilize the existing rail corridor for the track approaches. This City Council Study Session Chambers was held January 28, 2020 (agenda). The study session explored all options for both the northern and southern approaches to the future station, including the I-280/SR-87 viaduct option. There was opportunity for public comments. The City Council did not take an action on staff’s recommendation at this meeting. Click here to view the staff memo and other materials for the study session.

These materials describe the Concept Layout and the Phase 1 process for developing the staff recommendations: staff report, slides (English), slides (Spanish), and Layout Development Report, including Appendices A, B (1 of 3), B (2 of 3), B (3 of 3), C, and D. This virtual town hall included a video presentation that describes staff’s recommended layout and the Phase 1 process.

+ How can I get involved?

The Partner Agencies have prepared an Outreach Strategy to:

  • Inform and educate the public about the project and decision-making process
  • Encourage active public participation by a broad range of the community
  • Gather feedback for the Partner Agencies to consider during preparation of the Concept Plan
  • Foster a sense of pride and collective ownership in the ultimate vision for the station established by the Concept Plan

See Upcoming Events and Other News above for information on public meetings that have been scheduled. Visit the Contact page to sign up for email updates, submit a comment, or request a presentation to a community group. You may also email your questions to lori.severino@sanjoseca.gov.

+ What public engagement activities have been completed so far?

As part of the first round of outreach on the Concept Plan, the Partner Agencies:

  • Presented to the City’s Diridon Station Area Advisory Group (SAAG) on Oct. 18, 2018
  • Held a Community Kick-off Meeting on Dec. 10, 2018
  • Supported SJSU Master’s of Urban Planning capstone class project on Diridon Station, which included focus groups of community leaders and an interactive event on Dec. 1, 2018

As part of the second round of outreach on the Concept Plan, the Partner Agencies:

These events were intended to provide updated information on the Concept Plan, increase awareness of the planning process and project scope, and get feedback from community members for the Partner Agencies to consider as they prepare the Concept Plan. The first round of outreach asked for feedback on the initial high-level vision and key objectives for the future station, while the second round asked for feedback on preliminary concepts and a potential evaluation framework for narrowing down the concepts to a single preferred layout. Refer to the "How can I learn more?" section below for the handouts and informational boards provided at the Community Meetings.

The third round of public outreach on the Concept Plan focused on three possible layouts for the future station, as summarized in this memo. The memo was provided to each of the four Partner Agency boards (including the San Jose City Council) in May 2019, and is available to download in Spanish and Vietnamese. The third round included the following activities:

During the 2018-2019 school year, San Jose State University’s Masters of Urban Planning capstone classes worked with the City and its partners to study Diridon Station and its connections with Downtown destinations. The students supported community engagement efforts by conducting focus groups, interviews, and community events. A goal of the project was to help inform the Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan and the City's Downtown Transportation Plan, which is kicking off in 2019. The students brought fresh perspectives and creative ideas to the process. This final report called “Downtown to Diridon” documents the students’ methods, assessments, and findings.

The project team provided this memo to the City’s Diridon Station Area Advisory Group (SAAG) for their August 22, 2019 meeting: Update memo on the Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan. It summarizes the community input received during the third round of outreach, work completed since May 2019, and next steps.

The project team completed a fourth round of public outreach and engagement in late summer 2019. The purpose was to: to report back on community input received and progress completed; present a fourth drafy layout for feedback; and further explore the “big moves” of the future station - including the vertical position of the station platforms, location of the station entrances, and track approaches from the north and south.

This fourth round included the following events:

  • An update on the Concept Plan to the Diridon Station Joint Policy Advisory Board on August 30, 2019, the Partner Agencies presented. The agenda and presentations are available here.
  • A Community Meeting on Monday, September 23 at 6:00 PM at Poor House Bistro’s Studio (91 S Autumn St, San José). Click here for the presentation in English and the presentation in Spanish, and the event flyer in English and Spanish. Notes from the workshop can be found HERE.
  • A pop-up workshop at the Viva Calle SJ event on September 22, 2019. In addition to advertising the Community Meeting, people were invited to complete the priority dot exercise used during the third round of outreach. The results from that exercise can be found HERE.

The Partner Agencies conducted a fifth round of public outreach and meetings in fall 2019, following the release of a staff-recommended Concept Layout. This round began an update to the Diridon Joint Policy Advisory Board (JPAB) at their next meeting on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 3:00 PM in the VTA Auditorium located at 3331 North First Street, San José. The JPAB is an advisory committee administered by VTA. Shortcuts to the materials are available here: staff report, slides (English), slides (Spanish), and Layout Development Report, including Appendices A, B (1 of 3), B (2 of 3), B (3 of 3), C, and D.

The Partner Agencies then hosted a virtual town hall on Friday, November 22 at 12:00pm. This included a video presentation that describes staff’s recommended layout and the Phase 1 process. It also included a live chat between the project team and community members, allowing an opportunity to learn about the direction of the Concept Plan, submit questions, and provide feedback for the Partner Agencies’ consideration. The archived presentation and chat are available on YouTube here.

The project team presented the Concept Layout to the four Partner Agency policy bodies at the following public meetings:

The Concept Plan was also be a topic of discussion at Community Meetings hosted by the City for all major Diridon Station Area projects on November 18 and December 7. See the Diridon Station Area + Google Project page for more info on these events. In addition, the Concept Plan was a topic of discussion at the Small Group SAAG Meetings held on November 19, 21 and December 2, 2019.

+ What will the Concept Plan include?

The Concept Plan will include two components: 1) a spatial configuration that shows how the various track and station elements will fit together and relate to the surrounding neighborhood 2) a governing structure to effectively deliver the shared vision for the station and operate it over the long-term. The Concept Plan will primarily address the station and its interface with the urban fabric. The major elements include the:

  • tracks and platform configuration;
  • station location and layout;
  • access to the station by various transportation options (such as walking and bus);
  • integration with the surrounding area; and
  • passenger flows to, from, and through the station.

The Concept Plan will focus on the functionality of the station, rather than its architectural appearance. Later phases of work will include detailed design and engineering, as well as environmental review. The Concept Plan is not planning for the specific land uses or buildings in the area; however, the City of San José will conduct separate engagement activities related to future development.

+ How can I learn more about the Concept Plan and Related Projects?

Concept Plan

Related Projects

Project Updates

  • In February, the San Jose City Council, Caltrain Board, and High-Speed Rail Authority Board accepted the staff-recommended Concept Layout. The item went to the VTA Board on April 2 (by teleconference). Check the VTA Board website for the latest information.

  • A study session for the San Jose City Council was held on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. The purpose of the study session was to explore the options for the track approaches, in response to City Council direction given at their December 3, 2019 meeting (see materials). Here are links to the full agenda, staff memo, and CivicCenterTV (to view the recording).

  • Quick links to other recent resources:

Recursos en Español
Resources in Vietnamese