July-August_2021 - 31

D
espite the setbacks presented
by the pandemic,
commuter rail remains
one of the most efficient
and sustainable ways to
bring people to cities.
As people return to urban
centers for work and
pleasure, and as they continue to
grow and grapple with congestion,
cities will need to invest in
improving and expanding their
rail stations and infrastructure.
However, the urban rail stations
of tomorrow have the potential
to do far more than accommodate
growing capacities.
They will play an increasingly
central role for people as amenity-rich,
multi-functional facilities,
which address a spectrum of
work/life needs. For cities, they
can be vibrant mixed-use hubs
that catalyze regeneration and
significantly impact surrounding
communities.
People First
First and foremost, the future
station will need to reflect a fundamental
human-centric shift
that focuses on the well-being of
passengers, the public and those
of the surrounding community.
This includes accommodating a
range of needs across generations
and diverse cultures with inclusive
station design strategies, such
as incorporating resting places,
moving walkways and intuitive
wayfinding. Incorporating green
landscaping in public areas and
utilizing natural light wherever
possible will become increasingly
important to provide healthy,
restorative spaces while contributing
to sustainability goals.
In a world of growing customization
and convenience, stations
will also need to enable passengers
to make the best use of their
time. Users will expect customized
journeys with efficient connections
and digital technology
that allows them to flow through
gateless stations. Future stations
may also play a larger part in
supporting users' productivity
by catering to their lives 24/7.
Amenity spaces may include
co-working and study spaces for
commuters and students, drop-in
clinics, doggy day care, as well as
community and event spaces.
Mobility Hubs
A key part of this expanded function
for stations will be the need
to seamlessly connect passengers
to an ever-evolving range of transit
modes. Rail stations have the
opportunity to become bustling,
multimodal hubs and provide
safe and accessible infrastructure
that integrates bicycles, e-scooters
and emerging transit modes
in addition to taxis and private
ridesharing services. At the same
time, they have the opportunity
to encourage walkability and enhance
fluid pedestrian connectivity
to the local street network and
adjacent buildings.
Arup's work enhancing the
Zuid Station, a metro and rail
station in Amsterdam, included
accommodating the substantial
number of cycling commuters
with a safe, designated route
to generous underground bike
parking that seamlessly connects
to trains, trams, buses and the
metro. Pedestrian pathways are
equally intuitive and accessible,
with covered outdoor walkways
to protect commuters from the
elements as they move between
buses and tram stops.
FULTON CENTER in New York
City opened in 2014 and
had to create access and
transfers between 10 subway
lines.
© James Ewing
Stations as
Destinations
The station of tomorrow must
embrace at least one feature of its
past: the grand moments and exalted
experiences of Victorian-era
train halls. Even smaller urban
© James Ewing
FULTON CENTER'S
interior is an
open multi-level
public atrium
lined with a
sculptural cable
net of reflective
panels.
rail and subway stations can provide
dynamic spaces that invite
people in, transform their transit
journey and elevate the surrounding
neighborhood. Fulton Center
in New York City, which opened
in 2014, was tasked with both
creating easy access and transfers
between 10 subway lines and
establishing an important public
destination with retail shops to
re-energize Lower Manhattan
following its devastation from
9/11. The center's glazed exterior
provides accessible entries from
the street and enticingly reveals
its interior: an open multi-level
public atrium lined with a dramatic
sculptural cable net of reflective
panels that pulls natural
light into the space. It is a place
of wonder and delight for passersby
as well as commuters while
affording clear sightlines to help
orient passengers to the different
subway lines.
Community Catalyzer
With appealing high-quality,
publicly-oriented spaces, stations
can not only be good neighbors
but also powerful influencers. As
integral parts of neighborhoods,
they can transform their districts
JULY/AUGUST 2021 | MassTransitmag.com | Mass Transit | 31
http://www.MassTransitmag.com
July-August_2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July-August_2021
