Oakland Coliseum station explained

Coliseum
Style:BART
Symbol Location:bart
Symbol:yes
Symbol Location2:us
Symbol2:amtrak
Address:700 73rd Avenue (Amtrak)
7200 San Leandro Street (BART)[1]
Borough:Oakland, California
Country:United States
Coordinates:37.7524°N -122.1981°W (Amtrak)
(BART)
Owned:Bay Area Rapid Transit, City of Oakland, Union Pacific Railroad
Line:UP Niles Subdivision (Amtrak station)
BART A-Line[2]
BART H-Line
Platform:1 side platform (Amtrak)
1 island platform (BART)
1 side platform (Oakland Airport Connector)
Tracks:3 (Amtrak)
2 (BART)
1 (Oakland Airport Connector)
Bus Stands:6
Other: AC Transit: 45, 46L, 73, 90, 98, 646, 657, 805
Alameda County East Oakland Shuttle
Harbor Bay Business Park Shuttle
Parking:35 spaces (Amtrak)
847 spaces (BART)[3] [4]
Bicycle:18 lockers and racks
Accessible:Yes
Architect:Neil Smith, Reynolds & Chamberlain (BART)[5]
Opened: (BART)
June 6, 2005 (Amtrak)
Rebuilt:November 22, 2014 (Airport connector opened)
Former:Coliseum (1972–1977)
Coliseum/Oakland Airport (1977–2014)
Services Collapsible:yes
Map State:collapsed
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:14

The station complex of Amtrak's Oakland Coliseum station and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)'s Coliseum station is located in the East Oakland area of Oakland, California, United States. The two stations, located about apart, are connected to each other and to the Oakland Coliseum/Oakland Arena sports complex with an accessible pedestrian bridge. The BART station is served by the Orange, Green, and Blue lines; the Amtrak station is served by the Capitol Corridor service.

The BART station opened in 1972, serving the then-new Oakland Coliseum and the surrounding neighborhood. The Amtrak platform was added in 2005, making it one of two transfer points between BART and Amtrak. In 2014, the complex became the terminus of the Oakland Airport Connector, providing a rail connection to Oakland International Airport. The station also serves as a transfer point for AC Transit buses and business park shuttles.

Station layout

BART station

The BART station is an elevated three-level structure. Fare control and concessions are located on the ground level, east of San Leandro Street, underneath the northern end of the platform.[6] Conventional BART trains serve an island platform on the elevated second level. The grade-level Union Pacific Railroad (UP) Oakland Subdivision runs parallel to BART on the east side of the station, separating it from the adjacent Coliseum neighborhood.[7] An accessible pedestrian underpass tunnel with a stairlift runs underneath the Union Pacific right-of-way and connects the fare control area with the parking area and Snell Street.[8] A taxi stand is located along the western side of San Leandro Street just north of 71st Avenue, with a secondary taxi loading zone also located along the eastern side of Snell Street near the bicycle locker area. A 950feet pedestrian bridge between the BART station and the Coliseum sports complex crosses over San Leandro Street and the UP Niles Subdivision tracks.[9]

The Beige Line station is located on the third level of the Oakland Coliseum station complex. It has one track serving one side platform. It has no direct non-emergency street access and can only be reached from the main BART platform. Unlike conventional BART stations, platform screen doors provide a barrier between the platform and the guideway of the driverless system. The fare for the line is charged at Coliseum station for travel in both directions.[10] The walls of the platform area feature an artwork titled A-Round Oakland by Gordon Huether. The $300,000 artwork consists of around 50 colorful dichroic glass circles ranging from in diameter.[11]

Amtrak station

The Amtrak station is an unstaffed grade-level station located at the western end of the 73rd Avenue cul-de-sac. The station has few amenities other than benches sheltered by open-air canopies. A QuikTrak ticket machine that was previously located at the station was removed due to vandalism issues.[12] The UP Niles Subdivision has three tracks at the station — two mainline tracks used by Union Pacific freight trains (and the Coast Starlight), and a siding track with a single side platform on the northeast side serving Capitol Corridor trains. Oakland Coliseum is primarily served by through trains between Sacramento and San Jose, but also functions as a terminal for some Capitol Corridor service traveling to/from Sacramento. An accessible ramp structure connects the platform to the pedestrian bridge. An artwork entitled Bottom of the Ninth, created by Horace Washington, is located on the ramp structure. It consists of 13 colored metal figures.

Bus service

Coliseum station is one of the main bus-rail interchanges for East Oakland (along with Fruitvale station) and is served 24/7 by various bus services. It is served by eight AC Transit bus routes, which stop on both sides of San Leandro Street:[13]

In addition, several fare-free local shuttle routes stop at the BART passenger loading zone on the southeastern corner of San Leandro Street and 71st Avenue. These include the Alameda County East Oakland Shuttle, which connects the station with county offices at Eastmont Town Center, Edgewater Drive, and Enterprise Way, as well as shuttle buses serving the nearby Harbor Bay Business Park.[14] [15] [16]

History

BART

Original plans in 1960 for the BART system called for a station at 77th Avenue.[17] Around 1963, the planned station was relocated slightly north to 73rd Avenue to better serve the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum/Coliseum Arena sports complex, which opened in 1966.[18] By August 1965, the city's preferred name for the station was "Coliseum–73rd Ave".[19] In October 1965, a BART committee suggested the simpler Coliseum, which was approved that December.[20] [21] By 1965, BART and Alameda County disagreed on who was responsible for providing access between the station and the sports complex.[22] A footbridge connecting the two was planned by 1967, though financing had not been arranged.[23]

BART awarded a $1.13 million contract in June 1968 for construction of the station. While funding was not yet available for the walkway, the station design was futureproofed to permit its later addition.[24] BART agreed in September 1971 to contribute funds towards a footbridge; the Coliseum management similarly agreed that November.[25] [26] [27] Design work began in mid-1972. BART would contribute $125,000 of the expected $1.5 million cost of the bridge; the Coliseum would add $375,000 and the federal government $1 million. The project also included an elevator between the fare lobby and platform, which was not included in the initial station construction.[28] [29] The station opened as part of the first segment of the BART system (–) on September 11, 1972.

Construction of the elevator began in February 1973.[30] The BART Board approved the footbridge plans and advertised the project for bidding in May 1973.[31] [32] By mid-1974, construction was 80% complete.[33] The footbridge initially opened on October 5, 1974 for the American League playoffs and 1974 World Series.[34] [35] However, it was closed on October 18, after the conclusion of the World Series, due to excessive swaying.[36] [37] BART approved funding for design work to strengthen the bridge in November 1974, and issued a construction contract in July 1975 to add additional bracing.[38] [39]

The footbridge reopened in October 1975 — just in time for the single American League Championship Series game played at the Coliseum on October 7.[40] In January 1976, an arbitration panel ordered the firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which had designed the footbridge, to pay $44,131 of the $64,000 cost to strengthen the bridge. BART paid the remainder.[41] AirBART bus service connecting the station with Oakland International Airport began on July 1, 1977.[42] [43] The station was renamed Coliseum/Oakland Airport to reflect the new airport connection.[44] Around 1978, the footbridge was retrofitted with higher fencing because Coliseum attendees had been throwing objects onto businesses below.[45]

Amtrak

The Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) opened a station at Fitchburg (near 77th Avenue) on September 13, 1891, to serve a new housing development there.[46] It was served by local trains, including Oakland– local trains added in 1895.[47] A freight station was present at Kohler (near 66th Avenue) by 1899.[48] During the 1900s, Fitchburg was primarily a flag stop on local trains running between Oakland and Niles, San Jose, or Livermore; Kohler was only used for freight.[49] [50] On October 11, 1909, the SP opened its Stonehurst Branch, which split from the SP mainline at Elmhurst. The SP operated peak-hour Oakland–Stonehurst local trains; flag stops at Kohler and Fitchburg were among the intermediate stops.[51] [52] [53] Other local trains continued to serve Fitchburg, but ceased stopping there between 1912 and 1914.[54] [55] On August 28, 1921, Stonehurst service was reduced to one daily round trip, with Kohler and Fitchburg closed.[56] [57] [58] Other passenger services continued to use the mainline until 1960, but did not stop at Kohler or Fitchburg.

Amtrak took over most remaining intercity passenger service, including SP trains, in 1971. The long-distance Coast Starlight began using the SP line between Oakland and San Jose. It served only the main downtown stops in Oakland: 16th Street station until 1994, then Oakland–Jack London Square station from 1995 on. Capitols (later Capitol Corridor) service began in 1991; Oakland Coliseum was among the stations proposed in 1990 for the new service.[59] In July 1994, the California Transportation Commission withdrew $2.1 million that it had previously allocated to the Oakland Coliseum station project. The commission cited increasing costs and disputes between Caltrans and the SP (which was taken over by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1997).[60] For the 1999–2001 seasons, Amtrak operated Thruway buses between Jack London Square and the Coliseum for Oakland Raiders home games.[61] [62] [63]

In March 2002, the California Transportation Commission approved over $4 million in funds for an Oakland Coliseum station.[64] Other funding came from the Oakland Redevelopment Agency, Caltrans, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, and the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency.[65] The station became part of a $88 million construction package, announced in September 2002, to increase Capitol Corridor frequency between Oakland and San Jose.[66] [67] It was constructed on land formerly used for railroad purposes and auto scrap yards, necessitating decontamination before construction could begin. Construction of the station began in September 2003, with completion then estimated in spring 2004.[68] Oakland Coliseum station ultimately opened on June 6, 2005, at a cost of $6.6 million. It included an accessible connection to the footbridge, allowing a grade separated transfer between the Capitol Corridor and BART.[69] A $2.5 million reconstruction of the platform for accessibility took place in 2021.[70] [71]

Oakland Airport Connector

BART considered plans for a rail link to Oakland International Airport as early as 1970, including a bi-directional loop off the main line, but no significant progress was made until the early 1990s.[72] [73] In 2009, the Oakland City Council approved the construction of the Oakland Airport Connector, a 3.2miles automated guideway transit line. Construction on the line began in October 2010; it was renamed the Coliseum-Oakland International Airport line by BART.[74] The line's Coliseum station opened on November 21, 2014, along with the rest of the line. AirBART bus service between the station and the airport was discontinued. The name of the conventional BART station was changed back to Coliseum, allowing the terminus station at the airport to be named as Oakland International Airport station.[75] [76]

In the early 2000s, planning began for transit-oriented development (TOD) to replace a station parking lot. The Coliseum Connections project, a modular structure with 110 mixed-income units on a 1.3acres site, was constructed from November 2017 to April 4, 2019. The developers of the project lease the site from BART.[77] [78], BART anticipates soliciting a developer between 2029 and 2033 for a second phase of TOD.[79] In August 2020, a mural by seven Oakland Unified School District students was completed in the pedestrian tunnel.[80] Thirteen BART stations, including Coliseum, did not originally have faregates for passengers using the elevator. In 2020, BART started a project to add faregates to elevators at these stations. The new faregate in the BART lobby at Coliseum was installed in August 2020.[81]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Coliseum . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . April 1, 2020.
  2. Web site: Rail Capacity Improvement Study for Heavy Rail Transit Operations . Federal Transit Administration . October 2012 . 52.
  3. Web site: BART asks tailgaters to use only one parking-lot space . . September 30, 2005. April 1, 2020.
  4. Small parking lot to close at Coliseum Station starting 9/5 . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . August 22, 2017.
  5. Book: Cerny, Susan Dinkelspiel . An Architectural Guidebook to San Francisco and the Bay Area . Gibbs Smith . 2007 . 978-1-58685-432-4 . 1st . Layton, UT . 501–502 . en-US . 85623396.
  6. Web site: Transit Stops: Coliseum Station, Oakland . Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District . April 3, 2019.
  7. Web site: The Union Pacific Railroad Oakland Subdivision Corridor Improvement Study . Alameda County Public Works Agency . Alta Planning + Design, Inc. . November 2009.
  8. Web site: BART Parking: Coliseum . 2014. San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . February 18, 2018.
  9. News: A tribute to the Coliseum BART pedestrian walkway, accidental East Bay treasure . San Francisco Chronicle . June 12, 2019 . Peter . Hartlaub.
  10. News: Michael. Cabanatuan . $6 rides for BART's Oakland Airport Connector . San Francisco Chronicle . June 13, 2014 .
  11. Web site: A-Round Oakland BART Station . CODAworx .
  12. Web site: Amtrak database of train stations, 2012 – Government Attic . Hawkins . Sharron . October 3, 2012 . Amtrak . GovernmentAttic . February 18, 2018.
  13. Web site: Schedules & Fares: Coliseum Station, Oakland . Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District . February 21, 2020.
  14. Web site: Shuttles to County Buildings . Alameda County . March 23, 2020 . April 1, 2020.
  15. Web site: Report for: City of Alameda TSM/TDM Plan . City of Alameda Public Works Department . February 15, 2012 . 20 . December 13, 2017 . January 6, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150106050809/http://www.mobilityplanners.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/AlamedaTDM_FinalReport_Final_2012_03_20.pdf . dead .
  16. Web site: Harbor Bay Business Park Shuttle . ALTRANS Transportation Management Association . September 6, 2023.
  17. Web site: General Map: June 6, 1960 Routes: Peninsula line via Bayshore . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . June 6, 1960 . Erik Fischer on Flickr.
  18. News: Cities Seek Changes In Transit . Oakland Tribune . November 15, 1963 . 1 . Newspapers.com.
  19. News: Differences On Transit Stop Names . Oakland Tribune . August 24, 1965 . 50 . Newspapers.com.
  20. News: A Name For BART Station? . Oakland Tribune . October 20, 1965 . 16 . Newspapers.com.
  21. News: Names Approved for 38 Rapid Transit Stations Around Bay . Oakland Tribune . December 10, 1965 . 10 . Newspapers.com.
  22. News: BART Looks Over Budget, Tax Jump . Oakland Tribune . May 14, 1965 . 3 . Newspapers.com.
  23. News: Financing Sought For Coliseum Ramp . Oakland Tribune . October 31, 1967 . 4 . Newspapers.com.
  24. News: BART Awards Coliseum Station Job . Oakland Tribune . June 7, 1968 . 1, 6 . Newspapers.com.
  25. News: BART Will Share Cost of the Ramp . Harre W. . Demoro . Oakland Tribune . September 24, 1971 . 52 . Newspapers.com.
  26. News: Coliseum–BART Link Near OK . Oakland Tribune . September 21, 1972 . 13 . Newspapers.com.
  27. News: Coliseum Earmarks BART Walkway Funds . Oakland Tribune . November 12, 1971 . 23 . Newspapers.com.
  28. News: Strike Delays Elevator Service at Some Stations . Oakland Tribune . September 10, 1972 . 36 . Newspapers.com.
  29. News: BART Eyeing Ways To Improve Transit Of Berkeley Riders . The Berkeley Gazette . June 30, 1972 . 11 . Newspapers.com.
  30. News: Four BART Lines Make The System . The Independent . February 26, 1973 . 30 . Newspapers.com.
  31. News: BART–Coliseum Walkway Approved . Oakland Tribune . May 9, 1973 . 41 . Newspapers.com.
  32. News: Sparks Fly at BART Board Meeting . Oakland Tribune . Harre W. . Demoro . May 25, 1973 . 21 . Newspapers.com.
  33. Book: 1973/74 Annual Report . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . 1974 . 5 . Internet Archive.
  34. News: BART to Playoffs . Oakland Tribune . October 5, 1974 . 11 . Newspapers.com.
  35. News: BART service for playoffs . The San Francisco Examiner . October 4, 1974 . 57 . Newspapers.com.
  36. News: Coliseum Walkway Closed . Oakland Tribune . October 19, 1974 . Newspapers.com.
  37. Book: 1974/75 Annual Report . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . 1975 . 5 . Internet Archive.
  38. News: BART ramp repair to cost $150,000 . Justin . Roberts . Contra Costa Times . November 27, 1974 . 1, 2 . Newspapers.com.
  39. News: BART stalls Oakland airport . H. W. . Kusserow . The San Francisco Examiner . July 25, 1975 . 2 . Newspapers.com.
  40. News: Repaired BART Walkway Open . Oakland Tribune . October 20, 1975 . 2 . Newspapers.com.
  41. News: BART, architects to split costs . The Argus . January 31, 1976 . 9 . Newspapers.com.
  42. News: BART airport service starts . The Berkeley Gazette . July 1, 1977 . 15 . Newspapers.com.
  43. Book: 1976/77 Annual Report . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . 1977 . 7 . Internet Archive.
  44. News: BART proposes redesigning of Fremont station . Bob . Norberg . The Argus . June 8, 1977 . 12 . Newspapers.com.
  45. News: Council to Rescue Coliseum Walkway Firms . Oakland Tribune . September 2, 1977 . 3 . Newspapers.com.
  46. News: Go And See The Town Of Fitchburg [advertisement] ]. Alameda Daily Argus . September 19, 1891 . 2 . Newspapers.com.
  47. News: Train Trips . Oakland Tribune . March 29, 1895 . 8 . Newspapers.com.
  48. Book: Southern Pacific System: List of Officers, Agencies and Stations . January 1, 1899 . 8 . Southern Pacific Railroad.
  49. Book: Time Table 70 for the Western Division . March 1, 1901 . 10, 11 . Southern Pacific Railroad.
  50. Book: Time Table 117 for the Western Division . May 24, 1908 . 10, 11 . Southern Pacific Railroad.
  51. Book: Ford, Robert S. . Red Trains in the East Bay . 1977 . Interurban Press . 0-916374-27-0. 326.
  52. News: Railroad Opens its Elmhurst Extension . Oakland Enquirer . October 11, 1909 . 3 . Newspapers.com.
  53. Book: Time Table 23 for the Western Division Ferries and Suburban Trains . 14, 15 . August 1, 1911 . Southern Pacific Railroad.
  54. Book: Time Table 143 for the Western Division . April 28, 1912 . 10, 11 . Southern Pacific Railroad.
  55. Book: Time Table 156 for the Western Division . October 5, 1914 . 12–14 . Southern Pacific Railroad.
  56. News: Important Change of Time Effective August 28, 1921 [advertisement] ]. San Francisco Bulletin . August 19, 1921 . 23 . Newspapers.com.
  57. News: Peninsula Trains Not Affected By S.P. Cancellation . The Peninsula Times Tribune . August 3, 1921 . 4 . Newspapers.com.
  58. Book: Time Table 178 for the Western Division . September 19, 1921 . 12–14 . Southern Pacific Railroad.
  59. News: Commute train service back on track . Benny . Evangelista . Oakland Tribune . September 24, 1990 . A-6, A-8 . Newspapers.com.
  60. News: Jack London station grant on track . Sam . Delson . Oakland Tribune . July 11, 1994 . 11 . Newspapers.com.
  61. News: Notebook . Jim . Jenkins . The Modesto Bee . September 8, 1999 . 26 . Newspapers.com.
  62. News: Donner hikes follow fresh trail into history . The Sacramento Bee . September 17, 2000 . J6 . Newspapers.com.
  63. News: Ride a train with a Raider legend . The Selma Enterprise . October 10, 2001 . 12 . Newspapers.com.
  64. News: $4 million granted for new Oakland rail station . Merced Sun-Star . March 15, 2002 . 4 . Newspapers.com.
  65. Web site: Oakland Coliseum, CA (OAC) . Great American Stations . Amtrak . June 17, 2024.
  66. News: Amtrak work to begin . The Modesto Bee . September 27, 2002 . 6 . Newspapers.com.
  67. News: Amtrak injects $88 million into train system . Oakland Tribune . September 28, 2002 . 9 . Newspapers.com.
  68. News: Amtrak work at Coliseum is under way . Oakland Tribune . Josh . Richman . September 25, 2003 . Local 1 . Newspapers.com.
  69. News: Amtrak set to roll into Coliseum stop . Oakland Tribune . Chauncey . Bailey . May 26, 2005 . Local 1, Local 5 . Newspapers.com.
  70. Amtrak Celebrates Accessibility Upgrades at Bay Area Stations . June 4, 2024 . Amtrak.
  71. Station Accessibility Improvements Set to Begin on Monday, August 23 at Oakland Coliseum Station . August 16, 2021 . Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority.
  72. Web site: BART-Oakland International Airport Connector Final Environmental Impact Report/ Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume I – Final Environmental Impact Statement Volume I – Final Environmental Impact Statement . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . March 2002.
  73. Book: Healy, Michael . BART: The Dramatic History of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System . Heyday . 2016 . 9781597143707 . 341–345.
  74. News: Jones. Carolyn . Oakland unexpectedly OKs BART airport extension . San Francisco Chronicle . October 8, 2009 .
  75. Web site: BART's Oakland Airport Connector one year away from completion . Railway Track & Structures . September 13, 2013.
  76. New BART service to Oakland International Airport now open . Bay Area Rapid Transit . November 21, 2014.
  77. Local Leaders, Agencies, Developers Celebrate Completion of Innovative Housing Project with Grand Opening of Coliseum Connections . April 4, 2019 . City of Oakland.
  78. Transit-oriented development takes off at BART: Coliseum Connections . June 26, 2020 . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District.
  79. Book: BART Transit-Oriented Development Program Work Plan: 2024 Update . 16 . March 2024 . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District.
  80. Coliseum mural giving voice to Oakland students to be unveiled . August 20, 2020 . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District.
  81. Web site: New Fare Gates & Station Hardening . San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District . https://web.archive.org/web/20230904224616/https://www.bart.gov/about/projects/fare-gate . September 4, 2023 . July 2023.