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Last week, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) received notification that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a record of decision for the first 10-mile phase of the BART Silicon Valley project. The decision means VTA satisfied certain environmental review requirements for the $2.1 billion, 10-mile Berryessa extension, according to the agency.

Now, VTA plans to focus on advancing the BART Silicon Valley project in the FTA’s New Starts Program, obtaining a federal funding commitment through a full funding grant agreement and launching construction in 2012. VTA is applying for $900 million in FTA New Starts funding.

The BART Silicon Valley project calls for extending Bay Area Rapid Transit’s system 16 miles to San Jose, Milpitas and Santa Clara, Calif. Construction would occur between 2012 and 2016, system testing would begin in 2017 and passenger service would start in 2018, according to VTA. The extension would be operated by BART as part of its regional system.

Meanwhile, another California transit agency is advancing a line extension to the construction phase. On Saturday, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) broke ground for the Metro Gold Line Foothill extension — the first Measure R-funded rail project to begin construction, according to the agency.

The project calls for extending the Metro Gold Line — which runs between East L.A. and Pasadena — 11 miles east from Pasadena to Azusa. L.A. Metro expects to complete the project in mid-2014.