San Jose
– The state approved more than $364 million in funding for the
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s work on the BART to
Silicon Valley project.
San Jose – The state approved more than $364 million in funding for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s work on the BART to Silicon Valley project.
The money, which was approved by the California Transportation Commission, will reimburse VTA $151 million for previously completed design work on the project. The additional $213 million allocation will fund the design phase, which will further engineering work on station, parking, access and alignment designs. VTA expects to complete this phase of design the end of 2008, at which point it anticipates approval from the Federal Transportation Administration’s New Starts Program to proceed to final design and construction.
“Bringing BART to Silicon Valley is part of a regional vision to improve transportation options for Bay Area commuters,” said VTA Board Chair and Sunnyvale City Councilman Dean J. Chu.
The state’s funding allocation will allow VTA to put additional money toward other Santa Clara County transportation improvement projects, which were approved in 2000 .
“The CTC’s funding allocation emphasizes the importance of continuing work towards connecting San Jose and Santa Clara County residents and businesses with jobs and housing centers throughout the Bay Area,” said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. “BART will also provide access to the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, two major universities in Santa Clara County and a host of large employers offering tremendous economic benefits for the county and its cities.”
The BART to Silicon Valley project is a 16-mile extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system that will include six stations in Milpitas, San Jose and Santa Clara and a new maintenance facility, as well as a 5-mile tunnel-segment through downtown San Jose. Construction is expected to begin in 2009 with service starting in 2016.
