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BART Trains to Silicon Valley Gain Momentum
| Release Number: | nr07-09 |
| Release Date: | Jul 22, 2009 |
Community, Region and State Demonstrate Continued Support for BART Extension
San Jose, Calif. –The first of four public meetings held by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) drew over 100 community members, who were eager to learn the latest information and view design options for the BART Silicon Valley Extension Project.
The crowd of all ages received a presentation on current and near-term project activities, anticipated schedule, design options for the Milpitas station, intersection configurations at Dixon Landing and funding status, including the Federal New Starts Program funding request for $850 million. After the presentation, meeting attendees visited display stations and met with project planners, engineers and community outreach staff to share comments and learn more about various aspects of the project. “It is great to see such enthusiasm, interest and support for the project,” stated Carolyn Gonot, Chief Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Program Officer, as she met with community members.
Today, ongoing regional support for the project was demonstrated by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), who approved a $50 million federal stimulus grant request for the BART Hayward Yard Enhancement Project to accommodate additional trains. Several other key project milestones have been accomplished including circulating the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in April, breaking ground on clearing the future BART corridor in May, and a $40 million Traffic Congestion Relief Program allocation for final design work two weeks ago.
VTA is pursuing Federal environmental clearance on the 16.1-mile BART extension and anticipates a Record of Decision (ROD) from the Federal Transit Administration and approval of the Final EIS by February 2010. A ROD is significant because it qualifies VTA to receive Federal funding, enter into final design and begin pre-construction activities.
The three remaining public meetings are scheduled as follows:
San Jose/Santa Clara
Tuesday, July 28 at 6 p.m.
San Jose Unified School District Board Room, 855 Lenzen Ave., San Jose
Downtown San Jose
Tuesday, August 4 at 6 p.m.
San Jose City Hall (W118-119), 200 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
Berryessa
Tuesday, August 11 at 6 p.m.
Berryessa Library, 3355 Noble Ave., San Jose
For more information about the public meetings or the BART Silicon Valley Extension Project, please contact VTA-BART Community Outreach at (408) 934-2662, TTY for the hearing impaired (408) 321-2330, or email vtabart@vta.org.
BART to Silicon Valley
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Extension Project is an extension of the existing BART system to San Jose, Milpitas and Santa Clara. This project plans to extend the current BART system 16 miles beginning at the future BART Warm Springs Station in Fremont and proceed on the former Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way through Milpitas to south of Mabury Road in San Jose. The extension would then descend into a 5.1 mile-long subway tunnel, continue through downtown San Jose, and end at grade in Santa Clara near the Caltrain Station. A maintenance and vehicle storage yard would be at the terminus of the project in Santa Clara.
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About VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region. VTA is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; countywide transportation planning and provides these services to cities throughout the county including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale. VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa ClaraCounty
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