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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 3:05 p.m. by Chairperson Gonzales at the City Council Chambers, Milpitas City Hall, 455 East Calaveras Boulevard, Milpitas, California.

ROLL CALL

Members Present
Tom Blalock
Cindy Chavez
Ron Gonzales
Scott Haggerty
Bob Livengood
Zoyd Luce

Members Absent
Jim Beall
James Fang
Bob Wasseman

INTRODUCE NEW MEMBERS

Chairperson Gonzales welcomed new members Bob Livengood and Zoyd Luce to the Committee.

Public Presentations   

Mr. Rob Means, interested citizen, provided a brief summary estimating the Personal Rapid      Transit (PRT) costs concept referencing the Advanced Transit Association (ATRA) and their reporting on costs associated with PRT.

Minutes of November 17, 2004

M/S/C (Chavez/Blalock) to approve the Minutes of November 17, 2004.

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

Environmental Approval Status

Ann Jamison, Congestion Management Program Deputy Director, provided a brief narrative, update, and summary of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Approval Status.   On December 9, 2004, Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors voted to certify the EIR for the BART Extension and to adopt the findings and overriding considerations for the mitigation monitoring and recording plan and voted to adopt the full 16.3 mile BART Extension project description.   The Board of Directors requested that VTA staff continue to carry through both the North and South parking options at the Santa Clara Station in response to requests from Federal Express.

Following the certification of the EIR a 30-day legal challenge period takes effect.   A legal challenge was received from the Mills Corporation representing the Great Mall of the Bay Area. The same day that the legal challenge from the Mills Corporation was submitted to the courts Mills Corporation also submitted a request to negotiate a settlement agreement with VTA.   Those settlement agreement negotiations are ongoing. 

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors at their December 9, 2004 meeting requested VTA Board of Directors direct VTA staff to consider a phased approach to the construction of the BART project.   VTA staff was requested to return with cost and time estimates to complete the study.   That information was provided to the Board of Directors at their January 6, 2005 meeting.  The Board did not opt to pursue the studies.  Two upcoming public meetings are scheduled: February 2, 2005, at the First United Methodist Church in San Jose at 6:30 p.m., and February 10, 2005, at the San Jose High Academy at  6:30 p.m.  The meetings will serve as a meet and greet to the community.  Updates and information on the environmental process, project description, and current activities that are occurring relative to the Preliminary Engineering phase of the project will be discussed. 

SVRT Project Preliminary Engineering Program Report-January 2005

Jack Collins, Chief Construction Officer, directed attention to the powerpoint presentation and provided a progress report on the Project Preliminary Engineering Program. The overall Preliminary Engineering (PE) is 27 percent complete.   The Newhall Yard purchase from Union Pacific Railroad was completed on December 15, 2004.   Geotechnical sampling for the tunnel alignment continues along Stockton and Santa Clara Streets.  Further studies of Value Engineering proposals on tunnel, line segments and stations are ongoing. VTA has three Value Engineering recommendations ready for Policy Advisory Board (PAB) approval. The preparation for Community Outreach Plan for 2005 is underway. 

Mr. Collins noted a total of 339 Property Title Reports have been submitted and reviewed to date.   He cited the need for an additional 376 Property Title Reports.   Design configurations have been agreed on by all parties in regards to methodology to accomplish a grade separation of Warren Avenue in Fremont.  The plan involves the cooperation of the City of Fremont, Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (ACTIA) and VTA.  A Letter of Intent indicating funding arrangements has been requested from ACTIA and the City of Fremont.  The current authorized budget for the SVRTC Project is $334.2 million, including the environmental, conceptual, and preliminary phases of project development.  Approximately 55 percent of the approved budget has been incurred as of December 2004.

Recommendations for Value Engineering Proposals – January 2005

Mr. Collins directed the PAB’s attention to the powerpoint presentation and highlights of Value Engineering refinements to the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor being evaluated during PE.   The Value Engineering recommendations for adoption by the PAB are:   West Tunnel Portal Realignment, Newhall Yard Real Estate Purchase form Union Pacific, and to Shorten the Downtown Tunnel Crossover Structure.

The West Port Realignment VE Concept has a potential saving of $13 million.   Extending the tunnel boring under I-880 eliminates the box construction under I-880 and eliminates property and business disruptions.

The Value Engineering Concept will expand the Union Pacific Railroad purchase of 47.75 acres.   The negotiated sale price is less than budget with fewer business relocations with a savings of $50 million.

The downtown - crossover structure has a potential savings of $13 million.   Reducing the underground box structure by 214 feet, and using #10 turnouts for crossover tracks as well as reducing the impact to Santa Clara Street commerce contributes to the savings.

Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Project Potential Scope Changes

Mr. Collins   updated the PAB regarding design assumptions and design standards as part of the PE effort.   VTA and BART staff have encountered significant challenges for the project budget and the design team.   The potential scope changes are: increased number of cross passages and increased tunnel diameter.

Spacing in the tunnel cross passages has been reduced from 650 feet to approximately 300 feet in conformance with BART criteria, the number of mined passages increased from 23 to 55.   The increased risk and surface disruption during construction has resulted in potential scope changes of $60 million.

Inside tunnel diameter increased from 17 feet in EIR to 17 feet 10 inches.   Clearances of dynamic envelope and equipment, and changed safety, life and fire requirements for the walkway width in the tunnels has changed, resulting in an additional cost of $17 million.

In summary the current Value Engineering savings of $76 million minus the current scope changes of plus $77 million results in a current cost trends of $1 million.

Announcements

On general consensus, there being no objection the February 23, 2005 Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor-PAB Meeting has been cancelled.   Chairperson Gonzales announced the PAB’s next meeting, Wednesday March 23,2005.  The meeting is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at 455 East Calaveras Boulevard, Milpitas, California.

ADJOURNMENT

On order of Chairperson Gonzales, there being no objections, the meeting adjourned at 3:52 p.m.