From Paris to Madrid: What Great Stations Teach Us

9:00-10:00a.m. (PT) | Link to register. 

Join MTI for an inside look at lessons learned from a recent San José State University study trip to Spain and France—home to some of the most celebrated high-speed rail systems and stations in the world. Through first-hand student experiences and expert perspectives, this event explores how great stations seamlessly connect intercity rail services with safe spaces for walking and biking and anchor vibrant urban neighborhoods that power regional economies.

This session will examine what makes these stations thrive: the governance structures that keep them running smoothly, innovative strategies to futureproof them against tomorrow’s challenges, and the art of building public trust through strategic engagement. Don’t miss this opportunity for exciting discussion and actionable inspiration to transform mobility in your own community.

Featured Guests:

• Dakota Gross, Senior Planner, LSA Associates, Inc.; SJSU MS in Transportation Management (MSTM) Student
• Alex Kenefick, Chief, Integration and Network Planning Branch, Caltrans; MSTM Alum ('17)
• Inmaculada Mohino, PhD, Associate Professor, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
• Fabrice Morenon, PhD, Managing Director, SNCF Hubs & Connexions

Moderator: Eric Eidlin, Station Planning Manager, City of San José Department of Transportation; MSTM Instructor

This webinar is co-sponsored by APTA High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Committee, CRISI: Promoting Railroading Careers and Developing the Current Rail Industry Workforce, High Speed Rail Alliance, SJSU Institute for Metropolitan Studies, and US High Speed Rail Association.

*1 PDH credit available

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View Slide Deck.

View PDH Certificate.

About the Featured Speakers

Dakota Gross is a transportation planning consultant based in Los Angeles. She is also a current graduate student in the Master of Science in Transportation Management (MSTM) program at the Mineta Transportation Institute, part of the Lucas Graduate School of Business at San José State University. Dakota has worked on large-scale transportation infrastructure projects, including preparing transportation and environmental planning documentation for the California High-Speed Rail project.

Alex Kenefick is the Branch Chief of the Integration and Network Planning Branch at the Caltrans Division of Rail. The branch is responsible for the release and update of the California State Rail Plan. Alex has had past careers in service, tourism, and watershed planning and management. Alex has a BS in Planning and Development from USC and a MS in Transportation Management from San Jose State University.

Inmaculada Mohino, PhD is Associate Professor at the Polytechnical University of Madrid, where her research focuses on urban design, regional planning, and the spatial impacts of large transportation infrastructure, with a particular focus on high-speed networks. She holds masters degrees in civil engineering and urban design, and a PhD in Territory, Infrastructure, and Environment from the University of Castilla La Mancha (UCLM). She previously taught at both UCLM and Universidad Complutense de Madrid and was a visiting scholar at Oxford Brookes University, UCLA, and the University of Amsterdam. Her work has been published in high-impact scientific journals, including the Journal of Transport Geography. 

Fabrice Morenon, PhD is the Managing Director of SNCF Hubs & Connexions, the arm of the French Railways that oversees the development of rail stations internationally. With a PhD in Economics and degrees from La Sorbonne and Sciences Po, his expertise spans station financing, development, and operations. Morenon is a Chevalier (Knight) of the French National Order of Merit, has been appointed French foreign trade advisor by the French Prime Minister, and was named Chairman of the sector “Station Managers Global group” at the International Union of Railways (UIC).