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|  | Context Sensitive Solutions
Significance Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) is “a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic, aesthetic, historic and environmental resources, while maintaining safety and mobility.” CSS is a process intended to engage in a two-way collaboration process in relation to the planning and design of High Speed Rail (HSR) and the Caltrain electrification program. Palo Alto encourages residents to embrace the opportunities presented by CSS and help achieve "best practices" in this project.
Overview
Rather than approaching stakeholders at the end of the design process in an attempt to gain approval, CSS emphasizes the need to incorporate early, honest, continuous and meaningful public involvement from the outset of the planning and design development processes. |  |   
Keep Informed
For continuous updates on HSR add us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. For periodic HSR email updates join our Maillist and stay informed with what's next. | CSS involves everyone with a significant stake in the project: residents, businesses, community organizations, civic and neighborhood associations, schools, chambers of commerce, state and federal environmental and economic development agencies, municipal officials, transportation organizations, and advocacy and environmental groups. This involvement also continues during all subsequent stages of construction, operations and maintenance.
CSS Process
When CSS principles are applied to transportation projects, the process involves a much broader range of disciplines than traditional transportation design methods, which rely exclusively on the judgment of engineers. Originally created for use in highway projects, CSS helps reach feasible solutions that meet community and project goals and is currently used by the Federal Highway Adimistration (FHWA) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The process offers an opportunity for communities and the design team to define key community values, priorities, measures of success, and considerations to base the design of the project on.
The following list of qualities describes the core goals of CSS as developed at a 1998 conference for transportation planners called “Thinking Beyond the Pavement.” CSS Process Criteria - Communication with all stakeholders is open, honest, early, and continuous.
- A multidisciplinary team is established early, with disciplines based on the needs of the specific project, and with the inclusion of the public.
- A full range of stakeholders is involved with transportation officials in the scoping phase (the period before design begins when the scope of the project is agreed upon). The purposes of the project are clearly defined, and consensus on the scope is forged before proceeding.
- The highway development process is tailored to meet the circumstances. This process should examine multiple alternatives that will result in a consensus of approach methods.
- A commitment to the process from top agency officials and local leaders is secured.
- The public involvement process, which includes informal meetings, is tailored to the project.
- The landscape, the community, and valued resources are understood before engineering design is started. A full range of tools for communication about project alternatives is used (e.g., visualization).
- A full range of stakeholders is involved with transportation officials in the scoping phase (the period before design is begun when the scope of the project is agreed upon). The purposes of the project are clearly defined, and consensus on the scope is forged before proceeding.
CSS Product Criteria (or Results) - The project satisfies the purpose and needs as agreed to by a full range of stakeholders.
- This agreement is forged in the earliest phase of the project and amended as warranted as the project develops.
- The project is a safe facility for both the user and the community.
- The project is in harmony with the community, and it preserves environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic, and natural resource values of the area, i.e., exhibits context sensitive design.
- The project exceeds the expectations of both designers and stakeholders and achieves a level of excellence in people’s minds.
- The project involves efficient and effective use of the resources (time, budget, community) of all involved parties.
- The project is designed and built with minimal disruption to the community.
- The project is seen as having added lasting value to the community.
Engagement Process
Below is a visual representation of the Peninsula Rail Program (PRP) engagement process:
 Stakeholder Toolkit As part of the CSS process, the PRP has developed a toolkit in order to broaden stakeholder involvement in shaping project alternatives by providing a methodical approach for information exchange. The toolkit offers techniques, processes and formats for stakeholders to use. Again, stakeholders are any effected person or entity such as community members, cities, homeowners, transportation agencies, or businesses. These stakeholders are encouraged to use the CSS toolkit to communicate with the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) their ideas on how to shape desirable, feasible and achievable solutions for the corridor. Information and exercises are continually added to the toolkit over the life of the project. |
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