Burlingame to revisit station plans

BURLINGAME

Caltrain officials will present slightly modified plans for one of the two Burlingame train station platform projects Monday during the City Council meeting.

No new design changes were made for the Broadway station, but plans for the Burlingame Avenue station were slightly changed after listening to public comments during the council's July and August meetings, said Janet McGovern, a Caltrain spokeswoman.

"We think we have an agreement on this and hope for a good presentation," McGovern said." We're hoping to go forward with the project. There's been extensive outreach, and we have tried to respond to the public feedback we receive."

Design changes to the Burlingame Avenue station include extending design improvements farther along and around the front of the station to improve the pathway.

It will be much more distinctive for people to use and will connect to the downtown area, McGovern said.

The parking area has also been reconfigured. There will be parking on the east side of the station and the area has been widened and shifted to where there used to be vehicle storage, she said.

At the meeting, council members will talk about working with Caltrains to finalize the project design, closing South Lane, and negotiating a lease with Mike Harvey Honda on Broadway to use a portion of West Lane's right-of-way.

Improving the outside boarding for both stations will cost about $6.9 million. The projects will not only allow Caltrain passengers to board the trains from either side of the track, but is expected to reduce crossing-gate "down time."

There will also be new platforms and shelters, and public address and visual message systems.

For the Broadway station, the northbound boarding platform will be moved north of Broadway Avenue.

For the Burlingame station, South Lane will be closed. There will be new platforms that will extend from North Lane to Howard Avenue.

The pedestrian crossing at Morrell Avenue, near Burlingame High School, will have pedestrian gates, signals and an accessible path.