FTA taps VTA as first entrant in expedited project delivery program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has selected the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) as the first U.S. transit agency to participate in an expedited project delivery pilot program.

The federal funding program will include VTA’s Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Phase II project, a heavy-rail extension from north San Jose to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara, California. The project will include a maintenance facility and storage yard, and three underground stations and one at-grade station.

The extension was among seven projects across the country to vie for participation in the new pilot program, which is designed to fast track major transportation infrastructure projects. Construction on the 5-mile underground subway through downtown San Jose will involve modern single bore techniques.
 
"This project is one that is very innovative, and so we are very excited to move to the next level with VTA on that project," said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams in a press release.
 
In November 2018, the VTA submitted a proposal to the FTA to be considered for the expedited funding to assure the project could proceed as planned.
 
"[We are] demonstrating the merits of this transformational infrastructure project being the first in the nation to use single bore technology for transit, and now being the first in the nation chosen for FTA's expedited project delivery program," said VTA Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Nuria Fernandez.