CD+A is leading a multi-disciplinary team working on the planning for commute rail in Marin and Sonoma County simultaneously at two different scales. In addition to developing conceptual site plans for nine new rail stations in both counties, the team has prepared a Transit-Oriented Development and Pedestrian-Oriented Design Policy and Program Framework for the agency. The TOD/PeD Framework will enable SMART to work with local communities to undertake Station Area planning, urban design, and station access prior to the start of operations, in an effort to maximize the benefit of the public investment in the SMART system.

The Station Concept Planning portion of the project has implemented many of the concepts in the TOD/PeD Framework within existing site constraints. The station designs incorporate transit service, park-and-ride, and the multi-use path that will run the length of the SMART system. The designs also highlight Joint Development opportunities at station sites.

The station planning process began with studies on station locations, land use and access context and constraints, and alternative design options. The analysis and designs were then presented to key stakeholders for each station to get input and involve the community in the decision-making process. Revised station designs will be used as the station “footprint” for analysis in the upcoming EIR/EIS process.