The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has made a commitment to grant more than USD 5 billion to the final phase of the Silicon Valley BART extension project, the largest single public infrastructure project ever constructed in Santa Clara County, California.
Despite the historic commitment to funding, the USD 12.7 billion second phase of BART Silicon Valley extension (San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit extension) still must fill a gap in funding, which staff will begin immediate work to identify. For a 60-day period Valley Transport Authority (VTA) will freeze new spending, and the agency plans to renegotiate existing contracts to help cover the shortfall. VTA must now work to fill the funding gap before applying for the full funding Grant Agreement with the FTA.
There are two local funding resources for the project. Under the 2016 Measure B, VTA approved a list of categories of transport projects, including a plan to invest USD 1.5 billion in the phase two of BART Silicon Valley extension. Through the Regional Measure (3), the project also benefits a USD 375 million funding. Relating the State funding, this project has received from the California Transport Commission, who is responsible for overseeing state-funded transport programmes, USD 768 million.
In 2018, VTA was awarded USD 238.4 million of a total award of USD 750 million from the State of California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital programme (TIRCP). An additional USD 511.6 million will be distributed over the life of the project. In 2021, FTA announced the selection of the project for a USD 2.287 billion federal funding.
The second phase of the project covers the construction of a 9.6 km rail connection of the BART system from the existing terminus at the Berryessa / North San José BART station through downtown San José to the proposed Santa Clara Station in the City of Santa Clara. The project also includes a maintenance facility at Newhall Yard at the end of the alignment directly adjacent to the Santa Clara station. Four stations will be constructed, out of which three are located in San José and one in Santa Clara.
The project’s easternmost station, 28th Street/Little Portugal, will be underground near Santa Clara Street and U.S. 101. Two stations, also underground, are planned for downtown San José (Downtown San José Station at Santa Clara Street near Market Street) and Diridon station at the Diridon Intermodal Transit Centre. The westernmost station in the City of Santa Clara is planned to be at-grade adjacent to the Santa Clara Caltrain station.
The new extension will be operated by 48 vehicles that will be purchased and financed with project funds but are included in the procurement for BART Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Core Capacity grant programme fleet upgrades. In May 2024, the VTA Board of Directors authorised the entering into an agreement with BART for the purchase of 48 vehicles to operate the extension. They will be manufactured by Alstom and their cost is estimated at USD 172.6 million.
In June 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony was held marking the start of construction of the West Portal facility where the TBM is to be assembled and launched to bore the 8 km underground tunnel for the second phase of Silicon Valley BART extension project.
Planned to begin passenger service in 2037, the second phase will foster sustainable living and economic growth in the Bay Area, by enhancing regional BART connectivity. Phase two is estimated to carry 54,600 passengers each day to destinations throughout the Bay Area by 2040. The completion of the project will finally “ring the bay” with frequent rail service.
Santa Clara County commuters will benefit from an average travel time saving of 30 minutes for a 50-mile commute. Bay Area residents will gain access to 1 million jobs in Silicon Valley, while 2 million people will have access to 3.5 million jobs in Santa Clara County. The shift from car use to BART is projected to reduce annual CO emissions by 50 tons and greenhouse gas emissions by 19,500 tonnes by 2040.
In 2020, BART and VTA inaugurated the 16 km of BART extension, between Milpitas station in Santa Clara and Berryessa/North San Jose station.
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