Project development extended for BART Silicon Valley extension

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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SCVTA

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has granted The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) a three-month extension to complete the Federal New Starts funding program's project development phase.  

 

The extension applies to the six-mile BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension, from March to June 2018, SCVTA has announced.

SCVTA said it made the request to allow for time to refine design considerations for the two different tunneling methods—single and twin-bore—which were being considered for the five-mile subway construction project which reaches into downtown San Jose, Calif.

“This nod from FTA affirms the importance of spending additional time to fully examine new innovations in the construction industry that can help us build a project that is safe and minimizes construction impacts to downtown San Jose residents and businesses,” said Sam Liccardo, SCVTA Board chair and mayor of San Jose.

The transportation authority said several activities must take place during the project development phase to establish a cost estimate and financial plan for the project by June 2018.

The work ahead entails defining the project scope; identifying a funding plan, which is required to allow the project to be included in the regional long-range transportation plan; and completing the environmental review process, officials said.

SCVTA said it has nearly completed the requirements and is collaborating with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to identify the tunnel option that meets the needs of both BART as the operator and the expectations of community stakeholders.

Currently, the final state and federal environmental documents are being prepared for public circulation, SCVTA said, adding that technical forums are also being held between SCVTA and BART on the single and twin-bore design.

SCVTA’s Board of Directors is also set to approve the project with the final recommended project description in April 2018, with an anticipated Record of Decision from FTA expected to follow in June 2018.

Phase II of SCVTA’s BART Silicon Valley Project consists of four stations and a five-mile tunnel that will travel through downtown San Jose, completing the 16-mile, officials said.

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