MODERN RAIL HUBS
“Wherever a station popped
up, little shops popped up,” said
Daren Petroski, vice president of
rail and transit at Burns Engineering.
“As these areas are developed,
there is a vibrancy brought back
to these cities. Th at is why you’re
starting to see money pour into
these facelift s.”
Tushar Advani, managing
principal of transportation facilities
West for WSP USA, said
the big diff erence today is that
engineers are designing for TOD
rather than just letting it happen
organically. It is common to see
retail shops, restaurants, hotels,
condos, apartments and offi ce
buildings all being integrated into
these developments.
Green space has also become
a popular amenity. “In some instances,
as we’ve seen in New York
and Philadelphia, train sheds have
been sitting defunct for years,”
Holak said. “Some of these archaic,
elevated rail lines are being turned
into beautiful parks with grass and
trees and running water.”
A combination of funding
sources is helping to turn many
of these TOD concepts into reality.
“For many years, a lot of the
legacy rail operations were starved
of funding,” Petroski said. “Th ere
wasn’t enough capital investment
to keep them in a state of good repair.
Seeing the benefi t of public
transit has spurred increased public
funding, generally speaking.
Initiatives like TIGER and TEA
grants really allowed these economy
stimulating TOD investments
to get moving.”
Th e has also been money fl owing
in from the private sector.
“Private developers and investors
are seeing this opportunity to encourage
people to move into these
areas where right below them sits
a footprint of transportation that
makes their lives much easier,”
Holak said.
From facelifts and
extensions to brand
new systems
A lot of TOD activity is still in
the early design phase. Th at said,
there is a long list of completed
projects to help one get an idea of
what’s possible.
“Grand Central Terminal in
New York City is now a place
people want to go who aren’t
even taking the train,” Petroski
said. Shops line the terminal and
several offi ce-focused TODs have
sprouted up. “Th e World Trade
Center PATH station in New
28 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | JULY/AUGUST 2018
More Online
The Journey
Becomes the
Destination
as Audiovisual
Experiences
Transform
Transportation Hubs
The ambiance
and aesthetics
of transportation
hubs around the
world are now
being transformed
by innovative
and immersive
audiovisual
experiences that
create engaging
journeys for travelers
everywhere. The
idea behind a trend
toward traveler
entertainment
and engagement
through audiovisual
experiences is the
understanding that
happy and relaxed
travelers spend
more on food and
retail goods at these
mass transit hubs,
thereby increasing
non-travel revenue.
MassTransitmag.
com/12421880
Bringing it All
Together –
Modern Rail Hubs
Incorporate Retail
and Digital Signage
to Recover Costs
Next-generation
rail stations will
serve as urban
hubs that integrate
transportation,
commercial,
residential and other
uses. These new
hubs can provide
sustainable income
for the railways
and retailers, as
well as support
smart city initiatives
and economic
growth in adjoining
neighborhoods.
MassTransitmag.
com/ 12419364
York has turned into a glamorous
mall,” Petroski continued. “And
what they’ve done with Denver
Union Station over the past six
years has been amazing.”
Completely new rail lines
are also being constructed with
heavy TOD components. One example
is the Brightline project in
Florida, an intercity high-speed
rail system running from Miami
to Orlando. Th e project is being
completed in two phases, the
fi rst being a 68-mile stretch from
Miami to West Palm Beach. Th at
phase includes 450,000 square
feet of rail station and retail
space. “Brightline is a 100 percent
privately funded project we’ve
been involved with for the past
few years,” Holak said. “In Miami,
the developer is doing four
overbuilds (skyscrapers) right at
the footprint of the station.”
Phil Pasterak, vice president
and director of transit and rail
for WSP USA, said it isn’t just
the major cities that are seeing
heightened interest in TOD. He
points to the state of Illinois for
some recent examples.
“Th e Illinois Department of
Transportation is partnering
with communities to reconstruct
or build new stations,” Pasterak
said. “Th ey are oft en bringing in
retail, tying in bus services and
making space for other community
uses. Th e city of Lincoln is
an example. Th e rehabilitation
of an historic structure includes
space for community use, such
as meetings and presentations.
“Another example is Alton, Illinois,”
Pasterak continued. “Th is
project is a new multi-modal
station that’s a joint partnership
between the state and city. In
addition to a rail station, it also
serves as a regional bus hub. It’s
also interesting because a creative
package of funding was pulled together
to make it happen. Multiple
types of funding — federal,
state, local and private — can be
used to get these projects done.”
WSP USA
FASTRACKS IS a multi billion-dollar transit expansion plan in Denver.
Development at and around the system’s transit stations is an
exciting development of the FasTracks program. Burns Engineering
is the program management oversight consultant for several of
the FasTracks components, including the Southeast Extension and
the Eagle P3.
/MassTransitmag.com
/12421880
/12419364