Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Grade Separations - Mike Forster - V3.10.1 1
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Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Grade Separations - Mike Forster - v3.10.1 1 Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Grade Separations April 2017 Mike Forster, Palo Alto mikeforster.net Contents 1 Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Changes from previous versions ............................................................................................... 5 2 Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Visually attractive ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Less Expensive than trench / tunnel / road underpasses ........................................................... 7 2.3 Faster travel times than grade-level crossings .......................................................................... 7 2.4 Quieter operation than grade-level crossings ............................................................................ 7 2.5 Safer operation than grade-level crossings ............................................................................... 8 2.6 Feasible sooner than other options ............................................................................................ 8 2.7 Recovers land use for other purposes ....................................................................................... 8 © Mike Forster 2016-2017 Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Grade Separations - Mike Forster - v3.10.1 2 2.8 Elevation should precede electrification ................................................................................... 8 3 Features of this elevated tracks plan ................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Elevated Tracks Summary ........................................................................................................ 9 3.2 Overpasses / Underpasses ......................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Street Crossings ...................................................................................................................... 10 3.4 UPRR / Caltrain Impacts ........................................................................................................ 10 3.5 Station / Boarding Platforms ................................................................................................... 10 4 Costs .................................................................................................................................................. 11 4.1 Total Cost for This Plan .......................................................................................................... 11 4.2 New Elevated Tracks .............................................................................................................. 12 4.3 New Elevated Station Platforms ............................................................................................. 12 4.4 Pedestrian Underpasses ........................................................................................................... 12 4.5 At-Grade Road Crossing ......................................................................................................... 13 4.6 Road Underpasses ................................................................................................................... 13 4.7 UPRR / Caltrain Impacts ........................................................................................................ 13 5 Route Details ..................................................................................................................................... 14 5.1 San Francisco to 16th St ......................................................................................................... 15 5.2 16th St to Airport Blvd ........................................................................................................... 15 5.3 Airport Blvd to I-380 .............................................................................................................. 15 5.4 I-380 to Angus Ave ................................................................................................................. 15 5.5 Angus Ave to Millbrae Station ............................................................................................... 15 5.6 Millbrae Station to Millbrae Ave ............................................................................................ 15 5.7 Broadway Station to Hayward Park Station ........................................................................... 16 5.8 Hayward Park Station to Route 92.......................................................................................... 16 5.9 Route 92 to Hillsdale Station .................................................................................................. 16 5.10 Hillsdale Station to Howard Ave. ........................................................................................... 16 5.11 Howard Ave to Route 84 ........................................................................................................ 17 5.12 Route 84 to Palo Alto Station ................................................................................................. 17 5.13 Palo Alto Station ..................................................................................................................... 17 5.14 Palo Alto Station to Oregon Expwy........................................................................................ 17 5.15 Oregon Expwy to San Antonio Rd ......................................................................................... 18 5.16 San Antonio Rd to Mountain View Station ............................................................................ 18 5.17 Mountain View Station to Route 237 ..................................................................................... 18 5.18 Route 237 to Sunnyvale Ave .................................................................................................. 18 © Mike Forster 2016-2017 Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Grade Separations - Mike Forster - v3.10.1 3 5.19 Sunnvale Ave to San Jose Diridon Station ............................................................................. 18 6 Additional Notes ............................................................................................................................... 19 6.1 Freight Operations .................................................................................................................. 19 6.2 Trestle over San Francisquito Creek ....................................................................................... 19 7 References ......................................................................................................................................... 20 7.1 General References ................................................................................................................. 20 7.2 Cost References ...................................................................................................................... 24 8 Appendix: Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Crossing Analysis ..................................................................... 27 8.1 Overall - San Francisco to San Jose ........................................................................................ 27 8.2 Overall Summary .................................................................................................................... 31 8.3 San Mateo County................................................................................................................... 32 8.4 Santa Clara County ................................................................................................................. 32 8.5 Notes ....................................................................................................................................... 32 © Mike Forster 2016-2017 Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Grade Separations - Mike Forster - v3.10.1 4 1 Summary This Caltrain 2.0 - Elevated Tracks analysis advocates elevating Caltrain tracks to complete the separation of railway / automobile crossings from San Francisco to San Jose, avoiding lowering roads for underpasses almost entirely. This analysis extends and provides additional detail to previous publications, including [Tellier2012a], [Tellier2009a]. This analysis also advocates a single coordinated effort to complete grade separations along the Caltrain corridor. Piecemeal grade separations at only some crossings will almost certainly lead to additional expenditures in the future to integrate all of the piecemeal separations. This analysis document is available online at this location: http://www.mikeforster.net. This analysis describes how all but 2 of the existing grade-level auto / Caltrain crossings can be eliminated by only elevating Caltrain tracks. The 2 exceptions are Mission Bay Drive and 16th St in San Francisco, which remain grade-level crossings. These crossings will be addressed by the Caltrain Downtown Extension (DTX) project. This analysis assumes the "blended" HSR / Caltrain approach: primarily 2 tracks the entire distance from San Francisco to San Jose Diridon station, with 2 additional passing tracks added at various locations, outside the scope of this plan [JPBCAC2012a]. This analysis provides