Pittsburg Railroad Avenue Transit-Oriented Development

The HIA addressed the Pittsburg Railroad Avenue Specific Plan, which included a new commuter rail (BART) station located in the middle of State Highway 4. The proposed station would be surrounded by "transit-oriented development," which would include almost 1,600 housing units, 450,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, and pedestrian and bike improvements. All new construction would be within one-half mile of the proposed BART station. Some of the health issues considered included changes in access to affordable housing, jobs and livelihood, transportation, retail and services, air quality, and noise, as well as the impacts on health issues such as asthma, obesity, injury and mental health. The HIA recommended allotting more affordable housing in the project than the current zoning ordinance called for; including high-quality ventilation systems in any housing within one-half mile of the freeway, along with a maintenance plan for them; installing triple-paned windows to protect from noise; hiring local residents for the construction phase of the project; implementing transportation strategies (parking, bus routes to BART, etc.) to encourage use of BART and decreased use of cars.