VTA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Control Center & Systems Replacement, San Jose, CA

AVA’s Role: Anil Verma Associates, Inc. (AVA) served as Architect and Urban Designer to Urban Engineers for the planning and design of VTA’s new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Control Center in San Jose, California. AVA assisted with documenting existing facility conditions, establishing project objectives, and developing the new facility program. The team developed and evaluated multiple planning and design concepts, defined architectural space requirements, and addressed systems layout, accessibility, and ergonomics. AVA’s conceptual design work also included coordination of mechanical, electrical, and communications systems and related ancillary spaces. AVA provided architectural and structural design services for the selected concept and was responsible for preliminary engineering and final design services, including preparation of technical specifications. The team also participated in client and stakeholder coordination and supported community engagement through graphics and 3D presentations.

Description: The new SCADA Control Center was planned to house both VTA rail and bus control operations. The proposed facility was to be located near VTA’s Cerone bus yard and replace the aging, undersized control center at the Guadalupe site. The project also included replacement and modernization of the existing SCADA systems used to remotely monitor and control the light rail transit (LRT) and traction power systems (TPS). The facility was designed to provide advanced, user-friendly, and flexible operator workstations with integrated reporting capabilities. A primary objective was to create a reliable and resilient control center with stable, redundant servers and a projected service life of at least 40 years.