The Town Hall of Redwood City voted last Monday, November 28, to form its Transit District, which will allow the transformation of the Sequoia station and make way for the redevelopment of the 1970s shopping center with a 4-track train station, 1,100 homes and offices.
"It takes vision, but it can be done!" said Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale, who through her Twitter account stressed that "this is another step to help us achieve our RHNA housing goal of 4 thousand 588 units. These houses will literally be next to the best regional transportation.”
The Regional Housing Needs Assessment ?RHNA? is mandated by the California State Housing Law as part of the periodic process for updating the local housing elements of the General Plan. RHNA quantifies the housing need within each jurisdiction during specific planning periods.
The plan calls for at-grade separations, a new station, and 4-track rail service, as well as bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements, “so everyone can enjoy all this goodness of transit!” Hale said.
The local official noted that the plan has been in the works since 2019 and thanked the staff, SamTrans and partners who helped to finally reach the goal just two weeks after Hale leaves the Council.
Notably, the approved amendments to the General Plan, the Downtown Precise Plan, and the associated Transit District environmental review include land redevelopment of the Transit Center and Sequoia Station properties, additional space for a four-lane station, and improvements to the associated with possible grade separations to ensure proper connections for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians.
The City recently completed outreach sessions on the possible future appearance of the planned new Transit Center ?train station and bus depot?, including ground floor activation, open meeting space, venue creation, and landscaping.
Redwood City has 6 at-grade railroad crossings where railroad tracks meet vehicular roads. Railroad crossings at Woodside Road and Jefferson Avenue were previously separate. The gate arms lower at regular intervals to allow trains to pass through the city unimpeded, temporarily stopping people crossing the tracks.
Increased train service typically increases the amount of time people are stopped at the crossing, which can lead to more congestion. To improve circulation in the city due to rail activity and allow for increased train service, additional grade separations are needed. These separations must be carefully planned to balance the needs within the community and ensure that road connectivity and safety are maximized.
By adding more rail tracks, the city has an opportunity to design a new station, expand services like bike parking, convenient hop-on hop-off zones, and create safe connections between the bus station, Caltrain platforms, and downtown.
The transit center's grand design could support downtown vibrancy, create a community gathering place, welcome visitors, and enhance travel to and from Redwood City.
You may be interested in: Bay Area Air District initiates old vehicle buyback program
