Caltrain bike plan DRAFT 09-29-08access/... · plans to resume retail operations and staffed hours in 2009 once station platform reconstruction is complete. Station plans The 2003

Appendix B

76 | Caltrain Bicycle Parking and Access Plan

Palo Alto Station

Key features Palo Alto Station is in downtown Palo Alto, and also serves Stanford University.

Recent station history A project to improve the Palo Alto station’s platforms and pedestrian underpasses was underway as this plan went to press. This project makes the existing northernmost pedestrian underpass ADA‐compliant, improves lighting and replaces existing platforms with longer platforms. Construction is expected to be complete in 2009. The Transit Center adjoining the station was renovated in 2005 to accommodate ten bus and shuttle lines.

Between 1999 and 2004, an attended bicycle parking facility was established in the Palo Alto station’s former baggage building. It was staffed by a local bicycle shop, which provided valet bicycle parking at no charge. Bicycle repairs, rentals and retail sales were also offered at this facility. Operations were initially subsidized by grants through various public agencies.

The City of Palo Alto completed the Homer Avenue Undercrossing in 2005, which provides a bicycle/pedestrian connection under the Caltrain tracks between downtown Palo Alto and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (south of the Palo Alto Caltrain station). It also connects to the Embarcadero bike path that runs parallel to the Caltrain tracks.

While the baggage building was undergoing repairs in 2004, the bicycle parking operations were suspended. When they resumed in 2007, the facility was reborn as a self‐service/automated Bikestation4. Since that time, all users have been required to become Bikestation members and to pay for using the facility. There are plans to resume retail operations and staffed hours in 2009 once station platform reconstruction is complete.

Station plans The 2003 Palo Alto Bicycle Plan calls for a new bicycle/pedestrian undercrossing under the Caltrain tracks at Everett Avenue, which will connect Quarry Road (at the north end of the Stanford campus) with the Bryant Street bicycle boulevard and the Caltrain station. The Plan also calls for upgrading University Avenue between El Camino Real and Middlefield Road to a shared arterial roadway, including bike route signs.

The City of Palo Alto is conducting technical studies of a Palo Alto Intermodal Transit Center at University Ave, to reconfigure the station (rail tracks and bus bays) and University Avenue access. It also includes consideration of a bicycle/pedestrian undercrossing of the Caltrain tracks near Alma and Everett. Intensive land use development is planned adjacent to the station.

4 Bikestation is a not‐for‐profit organization that offers secure bicycle parking and related services at the Palo Alto Caltrain station, various BART stations and other west coast locations.

Station Details

Caltrain Bicycle Parking and Access Plan | 77

The Palo Alto Caltrain station is one of the regional hub stations identified in MTC’s Transit Connectivity Plan.

Table B-7: Bicycle profile Palo Alto station

Total rack spaces 61

Occupied rack spaces 55

Total locker spaces 96

Rented lockers 92

Other bike parking 96

Other bike parking occupancy 11

AM passenger boardings, northbound (NB) 656

AM passenger boardings, southbound (SB) 166

AM passenger boardings with bikes, NB 42

AM passenger boardings with bikes, SB 22

Observed bumps (number, time, direction) 8, PM, NB

Bicyclist data The City of Palo Alto has the highest concentration of daily bicycle trips of any city through which Caltrain travels.5

Bicycle access to station In Palo Alto, bicyclists are permitted to ride on sidewalks, with the exception of the downtown and where posted otherwise. Palo Alto has several designated “Sidewalk Bike Paths” which include Alma Street. 5 U.S. Census 2000, Journey‐to‐Work and Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Bay Area Travel Survey (2000).

Alma Street—which has no bicycle lanes or shoulder—runs along the north edge of the Palo Alto station (“east” of the northbound platform) and east (“south”) of the station, traffic speeds and volumes are high, making it daunting for most cyclists. The sidewalk in this area is designated as a “Sidewalk Bike Path.” Cyclists riding from downtown (north and east of the station) destined for southbound trains must either ride along the University Avenue undercrossing of the tracks (narrow, with no shoulders or bicycle lanes) or must walk their bikes on one of the three pedestrian undercrossings.

The Embarcadero path leads from the southern end of the southbound platform to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, the Town and Country shopping center, and Palo Alto High School, and extends north to El Camino Park, ending on Alma Street between El Camino Real and Palo Alto Avenue. Through the Caltrain station, the path becomes an on‐street facility on Mitchell and Urban lanes, which takes cyclists through a mix of bus/shuttle traffic, without the benefit of way‐finding signage.

Bicycle parking The Palo Alto station has the most bicycle racks of any in the Caltrain system. There are also lockers and a shared access/self serve Bikestation.

Bikestation Palo Alto’s second generation 96‐spot Bikestation is operated by Bikestation.org. It is shared access, currently unstaffed, and only paid/registered users can use the facility. It has relatively low usage, in part due to price: it is the most expensive bike parking in the

Appendix B


Caltrain system, with costs ranging from $1 per day to $96 per year. (The previous incarnation of the Palo Alto Bikestation was staffed and offered complimentary parking.)

Bikestation signage next to the door provides incorrect information regarding available services and an old sign is still posted at the entrance to the previous bicycle station. The operator’s plans for renting and repairing bikes are on hold, pending completion of the platform/ramp construction project.

On the southbound platform, there are two “BikeLids,” which were installed by the previous bicycle station operator to provide access to bikes left after hours. Both BikeLids are currently monopolized by individuals.

Bicycle lockers There are 44 double‐decker lockers at the south end of the southbound platform; however after platform reconstruction only 40 lockers will be reinstalled in this location.

There are also 52 lockers that were installed in the Alma Street parking lot on a “temporary” basis after the closure of the previous bicycle station.

There are four electronic day‐use lockers in the High/Alma South public parking garage, across the street from the station, that are operated by the City of Palo Alto.

Bicycle racks There are plenty of bicycle racks on both platforms, including inverted‐Us and lightning‐bolts. They are

also heavily used, due to the high proportion of cyclists using this station, as well as the racks being convenient and very visible to passers‐by. There are also many abandoned bikes congesting the racks.

The bicycle racks adjacent to the east parking lot near Alma and Lytton are inappropriately installed in dirt, which makes for an unstable and, at times, muddy surface.

Other fixtures and abandoned bicycles Palo Alto station has the most bicycle rack spaces of all stations systemwide; the greatest number of bikes locked to signposts, fences, and other non‐sanctioned fixtures; and the largest number of abandoned bikes. This extremely congested bicycle parking environment indicates a critical need to remove abandoned bikes from racks and other fixtures to make way for legitimate bicycle parkers and to reduce the impression that bicycle parking at this station is not secure.

Bicycle access to platforms Mini‐highs (to facilitate boarding Bombardier trains) are located on both platforms at this station.

Relatively easy access to the north end of the northbound platform is from Lytton Avenue/Alma Street, through the station’s east parking lot.

Access to the southbound platform from the north/west is via Mitchell Lane and an ADA ramp that leads to the breezeway where the bicycle station is located, near the north end of the platform. The north end of the southbound platform is congested with a mini‐high, trees, sign‐ and light‐posts and bicycle racks.

Double decker bicycle lockers

Abandoned bicycles parked in racks contribute to crowded platform conditions

Station Details


Trees, signposts, bicycle racks and a wheelchair ramp create a chokepoint at the south end of the southbound platform. Bicyclists accessing the southbound platform from the southwest conflict with Stanford University Marguerite passengers/shuttles.

There are three pedestrian undercrossings, all of which have ramps. One of these is being reconstructed by Caltrain to meet ADA standards, but will not be widened. The other two are along University Avenue, under the City of Palo Alto’s purview. They are all relatively narrow, particularly while walking a bicycle.

Recommendations

Near-term Caltrain responsibility • Retain 52 lockers in the Alma street parking lot. • Upgrade 65 keyed lockers to electronic lockers. • Relocate two bicycle rack spaces to a location

available for bumped bicycles on the northbound platform. (There are existing racks close to the north end of the southbound platform.)

• Ensure that Palo Alto station is the top priority in efforts to remove abandoned bicycles from bike racks, and do so frequently.

• Provide maps and information on each platform regarding bike parking at the station.

• Use station construction project as an opportunity to consider location of signposts and light standards in the context of mini‐highs and bicycle racks on north end of southbound platform.

Multi-agency responsibility • Work with VTA, the City of Palo Alto, and Stanford

University to provide maps, information and way‐finding signage based on MTC regional hub way‐finding signage guidelines. These materials should include directions to the Embarcadero path, the adjacent Transit Center, Marguerite shuttles, downtown Palo Alto, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto High School, and Stanford University.

• Encourage the City of Palo Alto to improve bicycle access on Alma Street and University Avenue in the vicinity of the station.

• Work with the Bikestation operator to post current and correct information.

• Work with the Bikestation operator to market and promote bike parking/usage of the facility.

See following pages for illustrations of issues and recommendations

Appendix B


Station Details


Appendix B


Mountain View Station

Key features The Mountain View station serves as the transfer point to VTA light rail. The station is bounded by Central Expressway, Evelyn Street and Castro Street, which is the center of activity in the downtown.

Recent station history In 2002, the City of Mountain View rebuilt the station building, including a shared‐access bike shed.

Station plans This is one of the regional hub stations identified in MTC’s Transit Connectivity Plan.

Bicyclist data More passengers bring their bicycles onboard at the Mountain View station than any other station but San Francisco.

Bicycle access to station It is prohibited to ride bicycles on sidewalks in downtown Mountain View. Access by bike is challenging coming from the north and west. Vehicles coming from the east via Moffett Boulevard/Castro Street are not permitted to turn left onto Evelyn Avenue. There are bicycle lanes on Evelyn Avenue that end east of the Hope Street crosswalk.

Table B-8: Bicycle profile Mountain View station




Rented lockers 91

Other bike parking 52

Other bike parking occupancy 25

AM passenger boardings, northbound (NB) 1,109




Observed bumps (number, time, direction) 1, PM, NB

Cycling on Hope, View and Bush streets to get to the station is also problematic. Hope Street terminates at Evelyn Street at the center of the station bus turnaround, with a signalized crosswalk. The traffic signal at this intersection is demand‐responsive based on video detection, but does not operate efficiently and causes excessive delays. View Street leads directly into the Caltrain parking lot, but is controlled by a two‐way stop sign, which makes crossing Evelyn Street difficult during peak hours. Cyclists and motorists traveling to the station on northbound Bush Street are greeted with a median and fence at the station parking lot.

Bicycle parking Mountain View station is home to various bicycle parking options: Parking lot fence at end of Bush Street

Station Details


Potential site for bicycle parking near bus turnaround

Bicycle storage shed The City of Mountain View administers a shared‐use bicycle shed in the station building, located about 200 feet from the Caltrain platforms. The shed holds 52 bikes, and is accessed by registered users with individual number codes. On average, the facility is half‐full. The City has installed closed‐circuit television to monitor the station, but the shed is still vulnerable to access without a code.

Bicycle lockers There are 116 bicycle lockers located on the west side of the station, between the southbound platform and the auto parking lot.

Bicycle racks There are 16 well‐used bike rack spots, in the form of ribbon racks and wide arch inverted U’s located between the southbound platform and the parking lot.

There are also penny‐farthing‐bicycle‐shaped racks on the plaza by the station building. Cyclists report that the tubing of the bicycle‐shaped racks is too thick to easily attach a U‐lock.

Bicycle access to platforms The northbound platform is very narrow and can only be accessed via the at‐grade crossings at the north and south ends of the southbound platform. Mini‐highs, two ticket vending machines, two validators and two shelters create a chokepoint at the north end of the northbound platform around which passengers with and without bicycles tend to congregate, thus making access to the bicycle car challenging at times.

Recommendations

Near-term Caltrain responsibility • Convert 87 existing keyed bicycle lockers to

electronic lockers. • Relocate two bicycle rack spaces to be available for

bumped bikes on the southbound platform. • Install bicycle racks in expansive pedestrian area by

the southeast end of the bus turnaround.

Long-term Caltrain responsibility • Consider moving ticket vending machines, ticket

validators and shelter on northbound platform farther east (or “south”) to alleviate bottleneck that forms around the location where the bike car stops.

Multi-agency responsibility • Encourage the City of Mountain View to bolster

bicycle shed security. • Work with the City of Mountain View to improve

traffic signal operations in the Hope/Evelyn/ bus turnaround.

• Work with the City of Mountain View to investigate the feasibility of striping bicycle lanes or sharrows on Evelyn Avenue between Hope and Castro.

• Work with the City of Mountain View to create an opening in the parking lot fence at Bush Street and reconfigure the intersection of Evelyn Avenue and Bush Street to allow bike/pedestrian access through the parking lot. The parking lot should also be reconfigured to accommodate bicycle circulation. Note: auto parking at this station is extremely high, so modifications to the lot cannot result in a net loss of parking spaces. (Near‐term)

Appendix B


• Work with the City of Mountain View to identify safe and convenient ways to allow cyclists to access the station from southbound Castro Street/Moffett Blvd.

• Work with the City of Mountain View and VTA to improve way‐finding signage based on the MTC regional hub way‐finding guidelines.

Station Details



Appendix B


Station Details


Appendix B


Sunnyvale Station

Key features Sunnyvale station serves downtown Sunnyvale, which is redeveloping with lively restaurants and a nightlife scene centered on nearby Murphy Avenue.

Recent station history A new station plaza and a large car‐parking structure were opened in 2003. The garage also serves visitors to downtown Sunnyvale.

Station plans The 2006 Sunnyvale Bicycle Plan calls for striping bicycle lanes on Hendy Avenue between Sunnyvale Avenue and Kifer Road and removing daytime parking on Sunnyvale Avenue between Maude Avenue and Arques Avenue or Evelyn Avenue to create bike lanes.

Table 4.9: Bicycle profile Sunnyvale station




Rented lockers 41





Observed bumps (number, time, direction) 0

Bicyclist data As the station is at the southern end of the main Caltrain corridor, most passengers (with and without bikes) board northbound trains the morning.

Bicycle access to station Section 10.56.140 of the City of Sunnyvaleʹs zoning ordinance states ʺAny individual regardless of age may ride a bicycle on a sidewalk if riding upon the adjacent street would place the cyclist in an unsafe situation.ʺ

The City of Sunnyvale recently installed bike lanes on Evelyn Avenue. There is a “Walk your bike” sign southbound on the Mathilda Avenue overcrossing leading to the station, but no corresponding sign for cyclists traveling in the northbound direction when leaving the station.

Caltrain provided an opening in the fence along the northbound tracks for bike/pedestrian access to Hendy Avenue in response to user demand. This opening at the south end of the northbound platform provides access to the neighborhoods east of the station, marked by a single bollard.

Bicycle parking All bicycle parking is located on the southbound side of the station. There are 15 “lightning bolt”‐style bicycle racks located near the garage and near the plaza that are well–used.

The station has 16 bring‐your‐lock day‐use lockers. However, due to misuse and management concerns, Caltrain has padlocked them to preclude public use. In

Access to Hendy Avenue

“Lightning bolt” bicycle racks

Station Details


addition, there are 75 subscription lockers, of which 20 are stacked on top of other lockers (double decked)

The City of Sunnyvale recently installed four electronic day‐use lockers, which function as casual lockers, but whose nominal hourly fees discourages non‐bicycle use. However, rental instructions are not posted.

The station’s bicycle lockers are all located in an “alley” under a canopy between the tracks and the parking structure. All lockers open on one side only. Some locker users (especially those with lockers at the far end) have requested an opening at the end of the alley in the fence that marks the station boundary, to be able to head east from the station without backtracking through the main station entrance at Frances Avenue. Some users also report that the “dead‐end” of the alley makes them feel less safe. The other side of this fence is private property.

Bicycle access to platforms Access to both platforms from either side of the tracks brings most passengers, including those with bicycles, to the east (“south”) end of the platforms, where there is an at‐grade crossing. At the other end, near Mathilda Avenue, there is a small stairway and ADA ramp from the street level to the southbound platform. There is an unpaved service road adjacent to the northbound platform.

Recommendations

Near-term Caltrain responsibility • Convert 62 existing keyed bicycle lockers to

electronic lockers.

• Convert 16 existing bring‐your‐own lock day‐use lockers to electronic lockers.

• Install two bike rack spaces to accommodate bumped bikes adjacent to the west (“north”) end of the northbound platform on concrete pads, like the one that currently accommodates a trash can and bench.

• Consider installing more bike racks at north end of the drop‐off loop in the plaza south of the platforms.

Long-term Caltrain responsibility • To discourage platform riding by cyclists, pave

service road adjacent to the northbound platform.

Multi-agency responsibility • Work with the City of Sunnyvale to shift electronic

lockers over so all four can be used, and to post instructions and contact information.

• Encourage City of Sunnyvale to install a “Walk your bike” sign northbound on the Mathilda Avenue overcrossing.


Conventional lockers

Electronic lockers

Unpaved service road

Appendix B


Station Details


Appendix B


San Jose Diridon Station

Key features The San Jose Diridon station building is a beautiful historic structure with a passenger waiting hall, a gift/snack shop and restrooms. This is one of two stations in the Caltrain system staffed by station agents. In addition to Caltrain, the station is served by the Capitol Corridor (Amtrak), Altamont Commuter Express (ACE), and VTA light rail on an adjacent set of tracks. Although Caltrain provides limited service to Gilroy and points in between, the station effectively functions as the southern terminus for most service. All Caltrain trains stops at this station.

Recent station history VTA opened the Diridon light rail station adjacent to the heavy rail tracks in 2005. The light rail platforms are west of the heavy rail platforms, accessible by a pedestrian tunnel.

There are new residential developments west of the station (south of Santa Clara Street).

Station plans The Caltrain 2015 plan proposes major improvements at the Diridon Station. Options include reconfiguring and adding new tracks; and adding two center platforms. The San José Redevelopment Agency’s Diridon / Arena Strategic Development Plan lays out parameters for the future redevelopment of the neighborhood northeast of Diridon station, including access, land use, street network, etc. If BART is

extended to San José, an underground rail station could be constructed adjacent to the existing Diridon station, south of West Santa Clara Street and east of the existing Caltrain line.

This is one of the regional hub stations identified in MTC’s Transit Connectivity Plan.

Table 4.10: Bicycle profile San Jose station




Rented lockers 43





Observed bumps (number, time, direction) 0

Bicyclist data Most all Caltrain passengers boarding at the San Jose Diridon station are traveling in the northbound direction.

Bicycle access to station The City of San José does not prohibit sidewalk bicycling.

Most passengers, including cyclists, approach Diridon Station from the east, although since VTA opened a light rail stop and redevelopment has begun west of the station, the number of passengers accessing the

Station Details


station from the west is growing. The City of San José installed bicycle lanes and sharrows on San Fernando Street, the main route for cyclists between downtown and Diridon station. (Sharrows are pavement markings along class III bike routes designed to alert motorists to the presence of bicyclists and to indicate to bicyclists where they should ride to avoid the “door zone” adjacent to parked cars.) Depending on the time of day, Caltrain passengers who access the east side of the Diridon station by bike along San Fernando Street must negotiate a great deal of bus traffic.

Another popular route from the station to downtown San José is to cross South Montgomery Street east of the station; however there are no crosswalks at this midblock location. Once across Montgomery, some cyclists may choose to take the wide pathway adjacent to (but separated from) the light rail tracks, while cyclists who prefer to ride in the street take San Fernando Street, although it is narrow.

Once residential construction in the area is complete, the frontage road west of the tracks will allow direct travel from The Alameda to the light rail station. Cyclists coming from the west through Cahill Park encounter a lack of curb cuts at Bush Street. There are three heavy, narrow gates that passengers must use to cross the VTA tracks, which are difficult to negotiate while pushing a bicycle.

Bicycle parking All bicycle parking at this station is located just south of the main station building, in a location that is hidden from view by the building and a low wall that separates the disabled passenger auto parking area

from the station plaza. There are 18 “coat hanger”‐style bicycle rack parking spots and 48 subscription bicycle lockers. Bicycles are sometimes locked to fixtures near the main entrance and on the north side of the station building, where there is more pedestrian traffic.

Bicycle access to platforms All Caltrain passengers have to go through the station building through wooden/glass doors. While these doors have ADA push button panels to open the doors on command, for passengers with bicycles, the buttons are awkward to reach.

Accessing the Diridon station platforms is confusing for all passengers because the tunnel ramps to each platform from the main subterranean passageway are not labeled with the operator or destination of upcoming trains. These tunnel ramps are very narrow, particularly when passengers walking with bicycles are present.

Mini‐highs (to facilitate boarding Bombardier trains) are located on the platforms. The center‐boarding platforms are narrowest at the tunnel ramps, particularly in the vicinity of the mini‐highs. Passengers, particularly those alighting from the northernmost cars, sometimes avoid the tunnel when the passenger gates to Platform 1 are open, by crossing the tracks at‐grade at the restricted‐access maintenance crossing at the north end of the station.

Informal bicycle parking north of station building

Appendix B


Recommendations

Near-term Caltrain responsibility • Upgrade 35 existing keyed bicycle lockers to

electronic lockers. • Replace outdated coat hanger racks with inverted‐

U’s. • Install some inverted U‐racks in a visible location,

such as on the wide concrete walkway between the bus bays and the platforms, just north of the station building and/or on the existing east/west grassy strip on the east entrance to the station. If space permits, also install bicycle lockers in these areas.

Multi-agency responsibility • Work with the City of San José, VTA and other

operators to provide way‐finding signage based on MTC regional hub way‐finding guidelines to help cyclists find bicycle parking at the station and to help all passengers find correct platforms/ destinations, as well as nearby destinations, such as downtown San José, the HP Pavilion, and the Guadalupe River Trail. Maps and signage should be installed

• Encourage VTA to consider replacing the three narrow track‐crossing gates with two wider and lighter ones.

• Work with VTA and the City of San José to identify appropriate locations for 22 new electronic bike lockers on the west side of the station.

• Work with the City of San José to install a mid‐block crosswalk across South Montgomery Street.

• Encourage VTA to train bus operators on how to operate safely on sharrow streets.

Station Details



Appendix B


Station Details


Documents

Caltrain bike plan DRAFT 09-29-08access/... · plans to resume retail operations and staffed hours in 2009 once station platform reconstruction is complete. Station plans The 2003