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The Switch is a spatial concept for the near future — a meetingplace where people switch between different modes of transit.  Our research focuses on the Bay Area, where there’s heavy commuter traffic despite a robust rapid transit system. We explore how The Switch, in conjunction with automated vehicles, can provide a more pleasant and convenient type of mobility. Watch our full two-minute PSA about The Switch here.

North Berkeley station is particularly interesting because there are several modes of transit running through it that are underutilized. This problem is linked to the vast space allotted for parking, which, despite its size, still fails to provide adequate park-&-ride opportunities.

Lots fill up early in the morning and lay lifeless throughout the day. This commuter rush acts as a barrier to entry, making parking a pivotal obstacle to increasing BART and bus ridership.

While it's practical to live near transit, this proximity provides no additional conveniences. The station is in the heart of the neighborhood, yet all errands and businesses sit at its periphery, pulling people outward.

The station’s single-use condition often renders it vacant, which can be unsafe in the evening. Some members of the Berkeley Parents Network even advise against walking alone from North Berkeley station at night.

The introduction of AV fleets presents radical new potential for the site. If park-&-ride commuters are dropped off there instead, everyone benefits.

Eliminating an early parking rush helps trains fill continuously and at an even rate, increasing overall ridership and alleviating morning congestion.

Unused parking spaces can now be repurposed into practical and desirable amenities, services that appeal to riders switching between modes of transit. These new conveniences will also attract neighbors, activating the site and bringing life to a new community center.

The Switch is practical and attractive, raising real estate values nearby.

Switching between modes of transport becomes fluid, with errands strung in between, changing the daily routine of the commuter.

The Switch provides a more pleasant and convenient type of mobility, transforming what was once a concrete desert into a new social hub.