New Rail Hubs Along High-Speed Rail Corridor in California Urban Design Challenges

High-speed rail (HSR) will link California's first-tier cities to one another and to second-tier cities; this innovation may increase both mobility and accessibility in an unprecedented way. The system is also expected to have important physical impacts on station-adjacent neighborhoods and station cities, but to date, limited research exists to guide public policy efforts directing development around HSR stations. The urban design variables that may influence urban change in the context of HSR remain largely understudied. A state agency, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CaHSRA), is charged with designing and managing the implementation of the HSR network, while local station cities will be responsible for development around their stations. Although CaHSRA has issued general urban design guidelines for cities, more urban design guidance is necessary to address the specificities of local contexts. Most Southern California cities have not yet started station-area planning, and the few that have are focusing attention on their stations as isolated entities in the system and city. In this limited focus, the cities often ignore the possible complement that adjacent stations on the HSR corridor may provide and how the station may integrate into the city and region. A review and a content analysis of documents and guidelines issued by the CaHSRA and its consultants to guide design in station areas were conducted and 16 planners, urban designers, and public officials in Southern California's Phase One station cities were interviewed extensively. The challenges of urban design in HSR station areas are discussed, and policy recommendations are offered.