SCVTA advises community as BART tracks are energized for testing

Written by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor
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The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) is raising awareness about the energized third rail on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Extension.

SCVTA says the contact rail will be energized along the entire 10-mile alignment for testing purposes, and any part of the rail corridor should be considered electrified at any time. The transportation authority says the traction power network will carry 1000 volts of direct current to the contact rails.

“You can’t see the current, you can’t smell the current, but if you touch the current, it will be too late,” said John Engstrom, SCVTA’s BART project manager.

“Now that we are in the system testing phase, the site becomes extremely dangerous,” warns Engstrom. “Every person in the public needs to understand that the BART right of way is not a shortcut, it is not accessible for a reason – for people’s protection.”

SCVTA will have its Community Outreach Team visit various neighborhoods, businesses and schools along the BART Silicon Valley corridor advising of the safety regulations regarding the tracks.

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