A Los Angeles-based company specializing in transit facilities will design a new, expanded multi-modal train station adjacent to the operational Amtrak platform on South La Patera Lane in Goleta.
The Goleta City Council on Tuesday afternoon approved entering into a design-services agreement with Anil Verma Associates, Inc. for the train depot project.
The $2.4 million contract expires June 30, 2022.
The item was placed on the council’s consent calendar, which lists matters considered routine and approved without discussion.
Anil Verma Associates, Inc. has designed more than 200 train station facilities, according to city staff.
Its projects include the Laguna Niguel-Mission Viejo Metrolink Commuter Rail Station, the Crenshaw-LAX Transit Corridor Light Rail System, the Auburn Commuter Rail Station and Transit Center in Seattle, Washington, as well as the Sacramento Intermodal Transportation Center.
Proposed plans envision the Goleta train depot facility at about 8,000 square feet on a vacant lot.
The project on nearly 3 acres will feature a lobby, an electronic ticketing area, a waiting room, a cafe, a community room, plus, restrooms, and shower and changing facilities. Plans also call for bike and baggage storage.
The project includes purchasing one or more electric shuttles to provide service to and from the train depot, UC Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Airport, as well as other local destinations.
The new station is expected to be completed between 2023 and 2024, said Senior Project Manager Jaime Valdez.
Goleta recently held public meetings to gather input and concerns about the project.
Last year, the city received a $13 million grant from the Transit & Intercity Rail Capital Program for major transportation projects.
The full-service train station aims to increase rail ridership, improve connections to bus transit and add pedestrian and bike facilities, city staff said.
Goleta also hopes it will allow accommodation for additional train storage and supporting increased commuter rail needs.
“The existing Amtrak platform lacks connectivity to station users’ final destinations, has inadequate parking and transit accessibility, provides limited and marginal restroom facilities, does not have a covered waiting area or food services, has poor pedestrian access to the site, and has poor bicycle access and storage,” the city staff report said.
“Developing an enhanced train depot will improve services and accommodate future increases in passenger ridership resulting from the (Pacific) Surfliner commuter train between Ventura and Goleta.”
The project site, at 27 S. Patera Lane, is next to the Amtrak platform, which is more relevant since the long-awaited commuter train began last year.
The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments worked with Union Pacific Railroad, which owns the tracks, and Amtrak for the early morning passenger train service into Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta from Ventura County.
“There are many reasons to be optimistic about rail service on the South Coast,” Marjie Kirn, executive director for SBCAG, said in an email. “The Goleta train station project provides an important opportunity to work with the city of Goleta to improve this gateway to the community and enhance the experience of not only rail passengers but also bicyclists and pedestrians traveling to and from the station.”
The Goleta train depot project is located at the former Direct Relief warehouse property.
The humanitarian nonprofit moved from the overflowing facility to a new distribution and storage warehouse it built at 6100 Wallace Becknell Road. The organization purchased the 8-acre parcel on land owned by the Santa Barbara Airport in 2015 and opened its doors this year.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
