TOD Proposal for Fremont's Warm Springs BART Station Fremont California
Abstract
The Warm Springs BART Extension Transit Village is a transit oriented development proposed for a site in south Fremont, California. Residents of Alameda County approved a measure to extend the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) line from Fremont to Warm Springs. To date, a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) and a Specific Plan have been prepared for the station area.
According to the SEIR, BART has proposed a parking lot designed around the station area to accommodate around 2040 on-site parking spaces.
The main objective of this study is to provide a design alternative for the City of Fremont, through the concept of a transit village using New Urbanism principles that is far more functional and economical than an open parking lot.
The site at present is zoned for industrial uses and has very little development surrounding the station. This design presents a unique opportunity to change this nearly “dead zone” to a livelier and vibrant community through the implementation of a transit oriented development (TOD) which is development that primarily occurs within walking distance from a transit stop or hub (1/2 mile radius) using the New Urbanism principles that encourage high density, mixed use and a pedestrian friendly environment.
The study area for which the TOD is proposed in this report is approximately 14 mile radius surrounding the BART extension in Warm Springs. While the BART Station acts as the focal point in the neighborhood, it aims at connecting the rest of the community through an integrated street network that is both walkable and pedestrian friendly without eliminating the automobile. The block pattern used for the design maximizes the potential for a variety of mixed uses including housing, retail and offices, and acts as a gateway to the hillside suburban development of Fremont. It is designed to present a unique identity to the neighborhood and serves as a medium to maximize future development potential for the region.
The study that follows illustrates the design of a Transit Village using New Urbanism principles, explores the need for TOD as a planning tool, reviews TOD policies in the state of California and discusses the importance of the design more specifically for the City of Fremont and for the Warm Springs BART extension. The study concludes by suggesting design recommendations and land use changes to the site for the successful implementation of the design proposal.
