Diridon Reimagined: A Review of Planning for San José's Transit Hub

Diridon Station in San José is emerging as the nexus for several major regional transportationinvestments taking place in the South Bay, including BART to Silicon Valley Extension (BSVP2), Caltrain electrification, and California High-Speed Rail. A redesigned and improved station has the potential to transform Downtown San José, with opportunities for increased connectivity, economic accessibility, and efficacy of transit networks. The Diridon Integrated Station Concept Plan (DISC) envisions a plan to redesign the station, emphasizing connectivity between transit modes and placemaking within San José. Local leaders, planning staff, transit advocates, and community members see the station project as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meaningfully improve transportation networks in the region. As such, the stakes are high to ensure that the decades-long plans and investments required for a renewed Diridon Station are truly seamlessly integrated and lead to a completed project that serves riders well. In analyzing the challenges associated with an integrated Diridon Station, our team saw three themes emerge: governance, station design, and community engagement. Governance is central to the project and its complex issues, with misalignment or challenges affecting all aspects of the station project. Issues surrounding governance—and hence project planning, delivery, and management—greatly impact the components of station design and community engagement.