Set against the backdrop of major regional infrastructure networks, the North 1st Street Local Transit Village presents an opportunity to direct the area’s future growth and development to better serve its local community. The Village is bounded by surrounding transportation infrastructure such as the San Jose International Airport, interstate highways, and the VTA light rail tracks following the length of North 1st Street. Currently, the North 1st Street Local Transit Village lacks public open space that could provide possibilities for community recreation and public life. The existing streetscape creates transportation challenges that impede the area’s circulation, while pedestrian movement in the east-west direction across the existing light rail tracks present safety concerns. Certain areas of the Village also feature inadequate public sidewalks, which further hinder accessibility.

​

Streetscape improvements include the incorporation of pedestrian-scaled lighting, sidewalk improvements, and street trees. Pedestrian-scaled lighting help better define the area to contribute to a better sense of place. At the same time, street implementations such as artistic intersections and crosswalks, bulb outs, and widened sidewalks improve road safety for pedestrians, providing high visibility and infrastructure for passing vehicles. Street furniture such as wayfinding signs help provide visual indicators for pedestrians, to the VTA Light Rail and local bus stations, the future BART Downtown San Jose Stations, and the transit stops of the future Airport-Diridon-Steven Creek connector.

​

​