Hillsdale station (Caltrain)

Until it was closed on December 20, 2005, the Bay Meadows Racetrack was served by the now-removed Bay Meadows stop, slightly less than a half-mile (800 m) north of the original location of the Hillsdale Station. The Bay Meadows stop lacked a passenger shelter, and was basically just an opening in the chain link fencing where riders could access the grandstand parking lot. When Hillsdale was redesigned and relocated, its new platform was extended a few hundred feet north, eliminating any need for the separate station. Hillsdale is now the closest station to the former racetrack area.

File:Hillsdale Station 3070 12.JPG

The City of San Mateo applied for Measure A funds to help fund a grade separation project in 2013; the majority of the $180 million project is funded from Measure A ($74 M) and Proposition 1A ($84 million, California High Speed Rail). The 25th Avenue Grade Separation Project elevated tracks in southern San Mateo, eliminating the at-grade crossing at 25th Avenue and adding grade-separated crossings at 28th and 31st Avenues, which previously had been interrupted by Peninsula Corridor tracks.{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/46379 |title=25th Avenue Grade Separation and Rail Realignment Project |author=City of San Mateo |date=13 September 2013 |access-date=18 October 2016 |publisher=City of San Mateo}}{{cite web |url=http://www.caltrain.com/Assets/__Agendas+and+Minutes/JPB/Board+of+Directors/Presentations/2016/2016-07-07+25th+Avenue+Grade+Separation.pdf |title=25th Avenue Grade Separation |author= |date=7 July 2016 |publisher=Caltrain Board of Directors |access-date=18 October 2016}} Tracks now rise at the maximum allowable grade, starting from where they emerge south of the State Route 92 overcrossing, minimizing the depression required on 25th Avenue to maintain vertical clearance for road vehicles under the new rail bridge. The grade separation was also designed to accommodate a potential mid-line overtake required for Caltrain/HSR blended operations, which would expand the Peninsula Corridor right-of-way to up to four tracks. PCJPB awarded an $82.9 million construction contract to the Shimmick/Disney Joint Venture in July 2017.{{cite news |url=http://www.railway-technology.com/news/newscaltrain-awards-829m-contract-for-25th-avenue-grade-separation-project-5866210 |title=Caltrain awards $82.9m contract for 25th Avenue grade separation project |date=10 July 2017 |publisher=Railway Technology |access-date=11 July 2017}}

As part of the grade separation project, Hillsdale station was relocated to the north. An initial design called for a station just north of 31st Avenue, with a transit center plaza and parking garage west of the tracks.{{cite web |url=https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/81841/Hillsdale-Station-Implementation-Plan-2012 |title=Hillsdale Station Integration Plan |date=September 2012 |author=The Planning Center |publisher=City of San Mateo |access-date=16 August 2021}} The final design has the station straddling 28th Avenue, closer to the transit-oriented development at Bay Meadows, approximately {{cvt|1590|ft}} to the north of the original station building. Preliminary renderings showed the new Hillsdale station with an island platform generally extending south from 28th, with parking provided east of the tracks.{{cite web |url=http://www.cityofsanmateo.org/DocumentCenter/View/55832 |title=25th Avenue Grade Separation |date=11 April 2017 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |access-date=10 May 2017}} A ceremonial groundbreaking for the grade separation project was held on September 26, 2017.{{cite press release |url=http://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/news/MEDIA_ADVISORY__25th_Avenue_Grade_Separation_Groundbreaking.html |title=Media Advisory: 25th Avenue Grade Separation Groundbreaking |date=21 September 2017 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |access-date=27 November 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/this-was-a-big-idea/article_96b0cb26-a33a-11e7-b7ed-9f0e6fdd1ecf.html |title='This was a big idea' |author=Weigel, Samantha |date=27 September 2017 |newspaper=San Mateo Daily Journal |access-date=27 November 2017}} Construction of the grade separations began in fall 2017 and originally was scheduled to complete in spring 2021.{{cite web |last1=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board |title=25th Avenue Grade Separation |url=https://www.caltrain.com/projectsplans/Projects/Caltrain_Capital_Program/25th_Avenue_Grade_Separation.html |access-date=4 July 2020}} The grade separation included five new rail bridges: one at Borel Creek (completed by late 2018); three to separate road traffic, installed in 2019 over 25th (July), 28th (September), and 31st (October); and a pedestrian underpass between 28th and 31st. Rail traffic was redirected over the bridges starting on May 28, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/3198/25th-Avenue-Grade-Separation-Project |title=25th Avenue Grade Separation Project |publisher=City of San Mateo |access-date=16 August 2021}}

The existing parking lot at Hillsdale was closed in 2018, and a temporary lot, accessible from 28th, 31st, and Delaware, served Hillsdale. After construction of the new Hillsdale station was completed, that temporary lot was upgraded to serve as the new permanent lot.{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Parking-lot-at-Hillsdale-Caltrain-Station-to-12459849.php |title=Parking lot at Hillsdale Caltrain Station to close for construction |author=Haigney, Sophie |date=28 December 2017 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=29 December 2017}} In its final configuration, there are two lots east of the tracks; vehicle access to both the north lot (between 25th and 28th) and south lot (between 28th and 31st) is available from 28th, and there is an additional access point from 25th for the north lot.{{cite web |url=https://www.caltrain.com/projectsplans/Projects/Caltrain_Capital_Program/25th_Avenue_Grade_Separation/Hillsdale_Station_Opening.html |title=Hillsdale Station Opening |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board}} Passengers can connect to SamTrans buses along El Camino Real.

The station was temporarily closed on May 16, 2020 and initially was scheduled to reopen in fall 2020.{{cite press release |url=http://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/news/Hillsdale_Station_to_Temporarily_Close_for_Construction.html |title=Hillsdale Station to Temporarily Close for Construction |date=April 6, 2020 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board}} The project, initially estimated to cost $180 million, had a cost overrun of $25.9 million due to delays.{{cite news |url=https://localnewsmatters.org/2021/01/20/san-mateo-county-receives-23-8m-grant-to-complete-grade-separation-project/ |title=The city of San Mateo receives $23.8M grant to complete grade separation project |date=January 20, 2021 |author=Casimire, Astrid |work=Bay City News Foundation |access-date=16 August 2021}} The 28th Avenue grade separation opened on March 1, 2021; with its opening, the at-grade crossing at 25th was closed.{{cite press release |url=https://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/news/28th_Avenue_to_Open__25th_to_Close_as_Part_of_25th_Avenue_Grade_Separation_Project.html |title=28th Avenue to Open, 25th to Close as Part of 25th Avenue Grade Separation Project |date=March 1, 2021 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board}} The station ultimately reopened at its new location on April 26, 2021.{{cite press release |url=https://www.caltrain.com/projectsplans/Projects/Caltrain_Capital_Program/25th_Avenue_Grade_Separation/Hillsdale_Station_Opening.html |title=Hillsdale Station Opening |date=April 2021 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board}} Later that year, 25th Avenue reopened on August 2,{{cite press release |url=https://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/news/Grade-Separated_East_25th_Avenue_Reopens.html |title=Grade-Separated East 25th Avenue Reopens |date=August 2, 2021 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board}} and 31st opened on August 27.{{cite press release |url=https://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/news/Grade-Separated_East_31st_Avenue_to_Open.html |title=Grade-Separated East 31st Avenue to Open |date=August 24, 2021 |publisher=Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board}}

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• [http://www.caltrain.com/stations/hillsdalestation.html Caltrain Hillsdale station page]
• {{cite web |url=http://www.cityofsanmateo.org/index.aspx?nid=1112 |title=Rail Corridor Transit-Oriented Development Plan |date=2005 |publisher=City of San Mateo |access-date=10 May 2017}}

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Category:Caltrain stations in San Mateo County, California

Category:Former Southern Pacific Railroad stations in California

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1901