San Francisco Planning Department to Launch the Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study Project

The City of San Francisco Releases a Request for Proposals (RFP) to Conduct the Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study

MEDIA RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Planning Department today announced that it will launch the Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study program. This multi-agency program will study the current transportation developments and infrastructure in the City, develop visual and conceptual designs, and establish promising alternatives for the area including and around the existing 4th & King Caltrain Railyard. The Planning Department released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for conducting the Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study.

The goals of the study include:
  • determining the best methods of construction for various projects; and 
  • coordinating effort to improve urban environment and reconnect neighborhoods.
“One of the main challenges that we face in our city is to plan and build a reliable transportation infrastructure for the greater Bay Area region,” said Planning Director, John Rahaim. “By launching the Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study, we are taking one step closer towards completing multiple transportation projects, such as the Downtown Rail Extension, Caltrain Electrification, and High Speed Rail service. This study will be the foundation for coordinating these infrastructure efforts with the rapidly, evolving surrounding neighborhoods.”

The Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study will consist of five components focused on planning, preliminary engineering, and financial considerations. The components will explore and analyze:
  • potential refinements to the alignment and construction methods of the Downtown Rail Extension (DTX);
  • potential construction of a loop track from the east end of the Transbay Transit Center (TTC) allowing for future connection to East Bay and return train trips southbound;
  • potential construction of a surface boulevard in place of the elevated portion of I-280 in the area in order to facilitate the construction of the rail projects and connect the neighborhoods of South of Market (SoMa), Potrero, Moscone Center, and Central Waterfront for vehicles, transit, pedestrians and bicyclists;
  • potential consolidation and/or relocation of the 4th/King Railyard; and 
  • land use responses to the above infrastructure changes, including economic effects and opportunities.
The Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study builds on work completed to date by Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA), Caltrain, California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA), and Caltrans; specifically the 4th & King Street Railyards Study, published by the San Francisco Planning Department in 2012, and the Caltrain North Terminal Feasibility Assessment, among others.

The study will include intergovernmental agency coordination between the City and County of San Francisco departments, state and regional transportation, utility and planning agencies.

Proposals for the Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study will be accepted until February 28, 2014 at 1:00pm. After which time, the City will evaluate the proposals submitted by transportation consultants.

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Media Contact: Candace SooHoo
415.575.9157 | candace.soohoo@sfgov.org