Fremont dog park opening latest milestone for BART Warm Springs Extension

At the opening of the new dog park in Fremont, Calif., Central Park, a cacophony of howls and yips from assorted canines mixed with excited chatter and laughter from dog owners. When the ribbon was finally cut by Fremont Mayor Bob Wasserman and BART Board Director Tom Blalock, dogs thronged the oasis-like park, which stood in stark contrast to the booming construction nearby.

The dog park opening is the
latest milestone in BART’s Warm Springs Extension project, part of the
long-term vision for bringing BART to Silicon Valley. Completion of the new dog
park fulfills BART’s commitment to build and open the new facility before
closing the old park, which will make way for construction of the BART
extension.

"What’s important
about getting the dog park open was that it was the last thing standing between
us and starting the excavation," said BART’s Molly McArthur. "Today
is like the domino effect. We open this one, we close that one, and the
excavators can start working. So, this is a very big day for us."

The new park, jointly
sponsored by BART and the City of Fremont, is larger than the previous one and
includes separate areas for large and small dogs. It also has perimeter
walkways, benches, water fountains with pet bowls and lighting for evening use.
It is a 15-minute walk from the park to the existing Fremont BART Station.

The Warm Springs project is
a 5.4-mile BART extension south from the Fremont BART Station into the Warm
Springs District of Fremont. There may also be an optional station in the
Irvington District, depending on future funding through the City of Fremont.

The Warm Springs Station
will feature an at-grade island platform with access to Valley Transit
Authority, Alameda- Contra Costa Transit buses, taxis and "kiss and ride"
passenger drop-off areas. The new station will also feature more than 2,000 new
parking spaces. Like all BART stations, the new extension will be fully
accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists and will include bike lockers, elevators
and escalators and access for those with disabilities.

The total budget for the
Warm Springs Extension is $890 million. The construction officially began in
the summer of 2009, and BART hopes to have the station running in 2014.  BART has also taken care to address environmental
issues such as habitat and species protection, noise and vibration impacts,
tree removal and replacement, and wetlands and water protection.

According to the American
Public Transportation Association’s economic stimulus formula, the new
construction has created and supported 26,700 direct and indirect jobs. The
Warm Springs Extension also includes the construction of two ventilation
structures and the relocation of a number of amenities within Fremont Central
Park, including the dog park, basketball and tennis courts, and related
parking.