Santa Clara VTA slates environmental impact hearings for BART extension

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has scheduled hearings to gather public input on the environmental analysis of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley extension's second phase.

The meetings, which are set for Jan. 25, 26 and 30, will feature an open-house format where plans, maps and other displays will be on display, VTA officials said in a press release.

This phase of the extension will run 6 miles from the future Berryessa BART in San Jose, Calif., to Caltrain's station in Santa Clara, Calif. The full 16-mile BART Silicon Valley Extension will begin south of the future Warm Springs station in Fremont, Calif., and terminate in Santa Clara.

VTA, which is managing the project in cooperation with BART, earlier this month released a draft supplemental environmental impact statement for the extension's second phase.

Construction for this phase of the project is slated to begin in 2018 and wrap up in 2025.