Santa Clara transit agency hosts meetings on BART Silicon Valley extension

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) yesterday began a series of public meetings to discuss the future phase of the VTA BART Silicon Valley Extension.

The agency is hosting the meetings to provide an update and solicit public input on the project, which would extend Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service 16 miles from the 10-mile Berryessa Extension, or Phase 1, that's currently under construction to San Jose, Milpitas and Santa Clara, Calif.

VTA officials will present an overview of the project's funding, as well as the timeline for state and federal environmental clearance, agency officials said in a press release. Stakeholder and community input will be used during that process to help VTA's board select a preferred project alternative in early 2016, agency officials said in a press release.

Upcoming meetings include one tonight in San Jose and another to be held Dec. 9 in Santa Clara.

The project's first phase, the Berryessa Extension, is a 10-mile, two-station extension, beginning in Fremont south of the future BART Warm Springs Station and proceeding to the Berryessa area of north San Jose.