Bayview Caltrain Station
Introduction
Since the closure of the Paul Avenue Caltrain station in 2005, Caltrain regional commuter trains have passed through but not stopped to directly serve the Bayview, Hunters Point, and other nearby neighborhoods. Numerous plans, studies, and evaluations since then have affirmed the need for a new Caltrain station in southeast San Francisco, and San Francisco voters approved Proposition L in November 2022, which includes up to $27 million towards implementation of this station.
While additional funding will need to be identified to fully design and build the station, the Transportation Authority is currently seeking to finalize the general location and configuration of the station between the two remaining options, Oakdale Ave and Evans Ave. This page provides a short history of Caltrain service in the Bayview and how prior work and community conversations led us to the two location options under consideration.
There is a short survey at the bottom of the page where you can share your thoughts on what is important to you to know to recommend a single station location to advance, and what amenities and features you would like to see in a new station. We’d also love to see you at our in-person event on Saturday, October 14th 2023 at the Bayview YMCA.
Thank you for your time!
Background
Passenger rail service between San Francisco and San José started over 150 years ago. Today, Caltrain operates more than 100 trains per day, serving 31 stations between San Francisco and Gilroy.
San Francisco
In San Francisco, the Caltrain alignment enters the City in the south along US 101 before passing through a series of tunnels along and under I-280, traveling through the Bayview, Dogpatch, Potrero Hill, SOMA & Mission Bay before ending at 4th and King. Currently Caltrain has stops in San Francisco at 4th and King, 22nd St, and at Bayshore on the city boundary with Brisbane. In the future, the train will connect to Salesforce Transit Center in Downtown San Francisco.
Bayview
After the closure of the Paul Avenue station in 2005, a number of planning efforts have been undertaken to restore access to Caltrain for travelers to and from the Bayview and nearby neighborhoods. Most recently, this need was reaffirmed in 2020’s Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan , 2021's ConnectSF Transit Strategy , 2022’s Southeast Rail Station Study (SERSS) .
The SERSS, which focused on potential station options around 22nd St and in the Bayview, sought to re-confirm the preferred location and engineering feasibility of the preferred location for the station in the Bayview. While prior work had identified Oakdale Avenue as the preferred location, the team heard feedback from the community during the study that a number of changes have occurred in the neighborhood over the past nearly 20 years since Oakdale was first identified, and that other locations should be reconsidered along with Oakdale. As part of this process, the SERSS identified three potential feasible locations in the Bayview, at Evans, Oakdale, and Williams. The SERSS engineering evaluation considered constraints such as track geometry, hills, major infrastructure, and critical land uses.
Early in the SERSS study process, the Williams Avenue option was flagged by community stakeholders as a location with high potential to drive displacement, and the study team received strong feedback to this effect. As a result, Williams Avenue is no longer under consideration.
Two Bayview Options
Based on previous planning efforts, studies, and community feedback, the final two locations under consideration are Evans Avenue and Oakdale Avenue.
By early 2024, the current study will identify a single preferred location as well as a plan for funding, design, and environmental clearance for the selected station location to advance towards construction.
What's Important to You?
To make this decision between the two locations, we've summarized the topics we heard were important to the community for selecting a station in past engagement cycles. There are four criteria:
Events and Next Steps
PAST EVENT(October 14, 2023) - First Community Meeting
Discussed the history of Caltrain in the corridor, planning for this station, and heard community feedback for evaluation framework and initial design. Meeting content was similar to what is covered on this webpage.
Bayview Hunter’s Point YMCA
1601 Lane St, San Francisco, CA 94124
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
PAST EVENT(Fall 2023) - Technical Evaluation
The two Bayview station options were evaluated using the evaluation framework developed from the public engagement feedback. This website will be updated with the evaluation findings.
Late 2023/Early 2024 - Second Community Meeting
An initial recommendation for a single preferred location, based on the evaluation framework, will be presented to the community at the second public engagement meeting. A draft station design concept will also be presented for feedback.
Early 2024 - SFCTA Board Meeting & Approval
San Francisco County Transportation Authority staff will bring the final station location recommendation and preliminary design to the Transportation Authority Board for approval and adoption.
