Diridon Station Planning

Five public agencies are working together to transform San José’s downtown transit hub, Diridon Station. The “Partner Agencies” include:

City of San José;
Caltrain;
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
California High-Speed Rail Authority (CASHR); and
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

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In early 2023, the Partner Agencies initiated the latest phase of planning to reimagine Diridon Station, known as the Diridon Station Business Case. This phase builds upon previous community engagement and design efforts that began in 2020. The Business Case is focused on developing station design alternatives that optimize performance and minimize impacts and cost. This effort will result in identifying viable alternatives for public input. With support and input from the community, the Partner Agencies aim to recommend one alternative for advancement.

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+ What has happened with Diridon Station Planning?

In 2020, the Partner Agencies developed and approved an initial concept for the station, referred to as the "Concept Layout," as part of an earlier phase of work titled the "Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan" (DISC). The Concept Layout is illustrated below. It serves as a spatial vision for the future station, which details the relative size of structures and the proposed locations of key features such as entrances, exits, mezzanines, platforms, and connections to other transit services.

From 2020 to 2021, the Partner Agencies collaborated closely with private property owners and developers in the Diridon Station Area to refine the configuration of the train tracks, and identify an approximate station footprint.

Map of the Diridon Station Area that illustrates the Diridon Station Concept Plan and highlights related projects, including the future VTA BART Silicon Valley Station, Caltrain's CalMod electrification project, and California High-Speed Rail, as well as considerations such as Caltrain's maintenance facility, CEMOF, and the existing historic depot.

+ What is the current phase of work?

The Partner Agencies initiated the Business Case in early 2023 to define a feasible, fundable, and implementable program for the redevelopment of Diridon Station that can be advanced to the environmental phase of study. To date, the partner agencies have:

Refined project vision, goals, and objectives.
Developed evaluation criteria and metrics.
Developed three draft station design alternatives presented to the public and the Joint Policy Advisory Board (JPAB) in May 2024.

In August, two alternatives will be presented with the JPAB. At-large community engagement will begin in September and continue through early 2025. Feedback will be solicited and considered for improved station design.

+ HOW DOES CURRENT WORK BUILD OFF OF PAST WORK?

Through previous community outreach phases, the Partner Agencies learned about the public’s desires for the station and surrounding area. The top priority was easy, well-timed connections between modes. Many also expressed a desire for the following:

Improved transit serving the station
A highly visible and iconic station, one that is a destination in its own right
An activity center near Santa Clara Street
Vibrant indoor and outdoor public spaces
Improved street connectivity, especially for pedestrians and cyclists
Reduced car traffic near the station
Future transit-oriented development
Conservation or reuse of the existing iconic and historic station building

These priorities remain key consideration in the development of new station concepts that are being developed in the Business Case. The Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan Public Engagement Archive page  includes a complete list of public engagement activities completed between fall 2018 and spring 2020.

+ HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

See Upcoming Events and Other News below for information on public meetings that have been scheduled. Visit the Contact page to sign up for email updates or submit a comment. You may also email your questions to Eric Eidlin at eric.eidlin@sanjoseca.govor media inquiries to Colin Heyne at colin.heyne@sanjoseca.gov.

+ What Public Engagement Activities Have Been Completed So Far?

The Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan Public Engagement Archive page includes a complete list of engagement activities completed between Fall 2018 and Spring 2020.