SMART posts designs for rail stations

Preliminary designs and some artist's renderings of the commute rail stations have been posted on the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit agency Internet site.

The designs follow planning meetings held over the past several months in communities where the 14 stations will be placed, from Cloverdale to Larkspur.

The architect has had to deal with how to fit a 300-foot long, 48-inch high boarding platform into the station site that allows access for riders but doesn't crowd the neighboring buildings and streets.

In Santa Rosa, the platform is planned in the center of north and southbound tracks in front of the existing Railroad Square depot, which is owned by the city of Santa Rosa.

Platforms also are situated near the historic stations in Petaluma and Healdsburg and the new stations in Windsor and Cloverdale.

In Rohnert Park, the station will be adjacent to Highway 101 on a site that now holds a Caltrans park-and-ride lot.

A final decision has not been made about the site of the northern Santa Rosa station, which will either be at Jennings Avenue or Guerneville Road.

The designer is ZGF of Portland, Ore., which has also designed stations for Portland's light rail system, the Portland International Airport, Seattle Streetcar and San Diego State University.

The stations will have some shelter from the wind, rain and sun, plus vending machines and racks, lockers and storage for bicycles.

The SMART website is www.sonomamarintrain.org.