BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension nets $40 million in state funds

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority's (VTA) BART Silicon Valley project has received another $40 million in Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP) funds from the state, VTA officials announced yesterday.

Awarded by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) for fiscal-year 2014, the funds constitute the fifth of six installments under the state of California's TCRP Allocation Plan adopted by the CTC in 2008.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley project is a 16-mile extension of BART's system to San Jose, Milpitas and Santa Clara.

"BART to Silicon Valley is firmly on track," said CTC Vice Chairman Carl Guardino in a press release. "When the BART line reaches San Jose in four years it will provide a convenient public transportation option to the hub of the innovation economy and reduce freeway overcrowding."

The $40 million award is designated for construction of a 10-mile segment of the project. Current construction activities include trenching and bridge construction to separate the future BART system from major roadways, major utility relocations throughout the project corridor and the foundation for the Berryessa BART station, VTA officials said.

The Silicon Valley project is being developed in phases, with the Berryessa Extension being the first. The phase entails a 10-mile, two-station extension that begins in Fremont south of the future BART Warm Springs Station and proceeding in former Union Pacific Railroad right of way through Milpitas, the location of the first station, and then to the Berryessa area of north San Jose, where the second station will be located.

VTA continues to develop the second six-mile phase, which includes a 5.1-mile-long subway tunnel through downtown San Jose and ends at grade in Santa Clara near the Caltrain Station. Construction on the project's second phase will begin as additional funding is secured, VTA officials said.