Foster + Partners and Arup revealed refreshed designs for California High-Speed Rail’s first four stations. The two firms have been collaborating recently, hosting a series of open house public events with local communities, businesses, agencies, and other essential stakeholders to receive feedback that will help form the designs of the stations. This team is responsible for the architecture and engineering of the new Central Valley stations that will set the standard for other stations planned along the 500-mile route from Los Angeles/Anaheim to San Francisco.
Work with key stakeholders will continue throughout this summer and fall. A second series of public ‘open house’ meetings is planned for winter 2024-25. When completed, California High-Speed Rail will allow passengers to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in less than three hours, taking about half a million cars off the road annually.
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The public will have a chance to learn more about the high-speed rail stations at the California State Fair in Sacramento from July 12-28. Visitors can view renderings of the stations, explore 3D models, and speak with planning experts from the California High-Speed Rail Authority at the high-speed rail exhibit.
Stefan Behling, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “We are honored to be part of this once-in-a- generation project that will connect California’s urban fabric with the agricultural heartland, transform local communities, and completely revolutionize the way people travel across the state. We are developing an architectural language for the four Central Valley stations, including soaring canopies that draw in fresh air and shield waiting passengers from harsh sunlight. The station design reflects the sustainable ethos of the wider project.”
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David Summerfield, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, added: “It is a great privilege to be making a contribution to this transformative project, which will reconnect communities across the state of California and have exceedingly high environmental benefits for the whole country.”
John Eddy, Project Manager, Arup, noted: “The excitement high-speed rail is generating in the four Central Valley cities is tremendous. Residents expressed their pride in being the first to receive high-speed rail service and their appreciation for the economic uplift provided by the current construction and the promise of more economic growth when the system is in operation. We look forward to future engagements with these welcoming cities to confirm we are capturing each of their identities while setting the standard for the entirety of California‘s high-speed rail stations.”
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Meg Cederoth, Authority Director of Planning and Sustainability, said: “In the Central Valley, we are engaging with the communities to identify station-site activities that will spur economic growth and a sense of community. We’re receiving important feedback from city leaders, transit agencies, regional transportation authorities, business organizations, community and public organizations, academic institutions, and non-profits throughout the Valley as we work together to advance these stations.”
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Work is going on presently in California High-Speed Rail in the Central Valley. This would help to have the first operational line functioning by 2030-2033.
