Santa Fe Trackbed to Park Conversion

Type: Park

Status: Design

PROJECT LOCATION

This project plans to develop a new park on parcels of land formerly owned by the Santa Fe Railroad in South Berkeley. The parcels are located between Blake Street and Ward Street, crossing Acton Street.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

This is a Measure T1 Phase 2 project.

The City of Berkeley plans to develop the former Santa Fe Right-of-Way parcels from Blake Street to Ward Street into new parkland. The City will perform required soil remediation and then construct:

A new community garden
An outdoor classroom, teaching garden and orchard
A playground with a tot cycle track
Dog park
Outdoor exercise stations

The project is currently in the permitting phase. To be included in the list to receive project updates, please contact the project team with subject “Please add me to Santa Fe Trackbed to Park Conversion email list” and provide your preferred contact information.

The Santa Fe Trackbed to Park Conversion project is funded by Proposition 68 California Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) grant. Part of the State’s “Outdoors for All” initiative to enable all Californians to access parks and open space, the competitive CA SPP grant expands access to parks in underserved communities with new or enhanced parks.

Environmental work

The City will remediate the contaminated soil left by the site’s historic railroad use and ensure the site is safe for its future use as a new park.

Soil sampling results show elevated levels of arsenic and lead. The City has posted signs and locked all four blocks. Read initial soil sampling results and the addendum to learn more.

Project updates

June 2026 Update: Construction for soil remediation breaks ground. All contaminated soil left behind by the site’s historic railroad use will be removed and replaced with clean import fill. New perimeter fencing will also be installed. Barring unforeseen conditions, work is anticipated to be complete in 5 months.
May 2026 Update: Preconstruction submittals required for review and approval by regulatory agencies prior to breaking ground are approved.
March 2026 Update: Contract with Carone and Company, Inc. is executed.
January 2026 Update: Council awards the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Carone and Company, Inc.
November 2025 Update: DTSC has approved the Remedial Action Workplan and required the document be renamed the Final Removal Action Workplan. The remediation scope of work is being advertised for bid. This contract scope of work includes replacing contaminated soil with clean soil and constructing new perimeter fencing.
October 2025 Update: DTSC is working on their response to comments letter and approval letter of the Remedial Action Workplan. The City is currently preparing to bid out the remediation contract. This contract scope of work will include replacing contaminated soil with clean soil and constructing new perimeter fencing.
September 2025 Update: DTSC’s public comment period for the Remedial Action Workplan closed on September 16, 2025. The City awaits next steps from DTSC as they review all public comments submitted.
August 2025 Update: DTSC has approved the Remedial Action Workplan for public review. Documents are available on DTSC’s Berkeley Santa Fe Trackbed to Park project webpage.
July 2025 Update: DTSC is finalizing their reviewing of the Remedial Action Workplan. Once their review is complete, the Remedial Action Workplan will be published for review and comment.
October 2024 Update: DTSC has approved the City’s Additional Soil Investigation Report. The Additional Soil Investigation Report can be found on DTSC’s website linked below, or under the “Documents” section of this page. The City can now move into developing the Remediation Action Plan.
April 2024 Update: Additional soil sampling is needed at the site. DTSC has approved the City’s Additional Sampling Work Plan Addendum. Additional sampling to support remediation of the contaminated soil left by the site’s historic railroad use will occur in April 2024.
December 2023 Update: DTSC has approved the City’s Additional Sampling Work Plan. The Additional Sampling Work Plan can be found on DTSC’s website linked below, or under the “Documents” section of this page. Additional survey and environmental work to support the remediation of the contaminated soil left behind by the site’s historic railroad use will occur in January 2024.
January 2023 Update: The City’s case has been assigned to the CA Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC). To follow the environmental work for this project, please visit DTSC’s Berkeley Santa Fe Trackbed to Park project webpage.

Background

Rail service began along the Santa Fe Railroad Right-of-Way in 1884 and ran until 1980 when the City acquired the rail line property through Berkeley.

In the 1980s, City of Berkeley converted several portions of the former Santa Fe parcels into public amenities, including the following: Cedar-Rose Park, Strawberry Creek Park, the Ohlone Greenway, the West Street Pathway, three housing authority projects, and several community gardening sites (Northside, Peralta, Karl Linn, Bancroft, and Spiral Gardens).

In 2021, the City received a $5 million grant from the California Proposition 68 Statewide Parks Program (SPP) to convert some of the last undeveloped Santa Fe parcels in South Berkeley into a new urban park. The grant application involved an extensive community process that led to a final conceptual plan for the new park that reflected community priorities. The conceptual plan submitted with the grant application and approved for funding is attached in the “Documents” section at the bottom of this webpage.

Learn more about the CA SPP (Prop. 68) grant.