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The Regular Meeting of the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor BART Extension to Milpitas, San Jose, and Santa Clara Policy Advisory Board (PAB) was called to order at 3:11 p.m. by Chairperson Gonzales, at the City Council Chambers, Milpitas City Hall, 455 East Calaveras Boulevard, Milpitas, California.

Members Present
Jim Beall
Tom Blalock
Cindy Chavez
Patricia Dixon
Ron Gonzales
Scott Haggerty
John McLemore

Members Absent
James Fang
Joel Keller
Gus Morrison

A quorum was declared.

Minutes of October 30, 2002

M/S/C (Chavez/McLemore) to approve the Minutes of October 30, 2002.

Status Report #5:  Project Update

Lisa Ives, Project Manager for the BART extension, presented the status report for the project highlighting staffs intention to have a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) prepared by Summer 2003 for public circulation.  Ms. Ives stated that staff is planning to complete the Final EIS/EIR by Spring 2004.  Ms. Ives stated that staff will provide a thorough presentation on the EIS/EIR at the next PAB meeting.

Ms. Ives reviewed the conceptual design efforts that have taken place to date, highlighting the construction mitigation issues for Downtown San Jose.  Ms. Ives stated that staff is developing a Lessons Learned Report focusing on other subway construction projects and their results.  Ms. Ives also stated that VTA staff and City of San Jose staff are developing a cooperative agreement to deal with some of the construction mitigation issues in Downtown San Jose.  Ms. Ives stated that staff is also evaluating alternative construction methods for the subway stations in Downtown San Jose.

Ms. Ives reviewed the public outreach efforts for the project and the coordination efforts with San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).  Ms. Ives reviewed the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts Process.

Michael P. Evanhoe, Chief Development Officer, reviewed the funding issues affecting the project.   Mr. Evanhoe stated that there could be a time that the conceptual engineering phase of the project would have to be paused in order to receive reimbursement from the State of California for funds utilized by VTA.

M/S/C (Dixon/Blalock) to approve Status Report #5:  Project Update.

Presentation on Mined Construction Methods and Consider Staff Recommendation to use Cut and Cover Construction for Underground Stations and Cross Over Structures

Jack Collins, Chief Construction Officer, discussed the previous actions taken leading to considering alternative construction methods for the subway stations located in Downtown San Jose and requested that the PAB approve the staff recommendation utilizing the cut and cover construction method for these stations.

Mr. Collins reviewed the proposed station locations and construction features for the subway stations in Downtown San Jose. 

Ed Cording, Professor at University of Illinois and Consultant for VTA, discussed his qualifications, and reviewed the nature of his employment with VTA for this project.  Professor Cording listed previous projects on which he has worked.  Professor Cording discussed the proposed construction parameters using the     cut and cover method of construction for the underground stations in Downtown San Jose.

Professor Cording discussed the key conditions of the project, the soil and groundwater conditions, and reviewed in detail the cut and cover method of construction for the PAB.

Member Dixon asked about the effects of liquefaction on underground stations in Downtown San Jose.  Professor Cording reviewed the mining methods for construction of the subway stations in Downtown San Jose and compared them to the cut and cover construction method.

Member Chavez left the meeting at 3:57 p.m.

Member Haggerty asked if the venting system for the cut and cover construction method is similar to the venting system for the mining construction methods and Professor Cording noted that they would be very similar.  Professor Cording reviewed the risks involved with a tunneling project using the various construction methods.

            Chairperson Gonzales asked about the scoring of the construction methods as it relates to settling of adjacent buildings.  Professor Cording noted that the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) has greater risk of collapse and failure than the cut and cover method and construction quality control would have to be stressed if the NATM method was selected.

            Member McLemore asked if the construction methods being considered for the Downtown area of San Jose are the same methods that would be considered for tunneling under the runway from Santa Clara BART Station to the  Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport.  Jack Collins, Chief Construction Officer, indicated that there would be a different method used for tunneling to the airport using a boring machine.

Jack Collins, Chief Construction Officer, recommended that the PAB approve the use of the cut and cover method as the preferred alternative for constructing the underground BART stations in Downtown San Jose.

M/S/C (McLemore/Dixon) to approve Staff Recommendation to use Cut and Cover Construction for Underground Stations and Cross Over Structures.

Member Haggerty left the meeting at 4:26 p.m.

Robert Allen, interested citizen, expressed concern over the planned distance of the underground stations and track in the Downtown San Jose Area.

Michael Graff, interested citizen, expressed concern over the financial situation of VTA in relation to the BART extension.

Announcements

There were no announcements.

Adjournment

On order of Chairperson Gonzales, there being no objection, the meeting adjourned at 4:29 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,



Dan Heider, Board Assistant
VTA Board of Directors

NOTE: M/S/C MEANS MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED AND, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, THE MOTION PASSED UNAMINOUSLY.