advertisement

---

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) plans to upgrade elevators and escalators along the Santa Teresa-Alum Rock line between the Virginia and Cottle light-rail stations during the next nine months.

The $4.2 million project will occur in phases, with the project scheduled to wrap up in September 2012, VTA officials said in a prepared statement.

The elevators, which have been in continuous operation for the past 20 years, are showing signs of deterioration and are in need of accessibility and safety improvements, they said. Escalators at the same stations also are showing signs of corrosion and require similar upgrades.

The project includes installation of new cab walls, ceilings and flooring, plus new controllers, speakers and emergency communications and video systems. In addition, new overhead canopies will be installed above elevator entrances to provide weather projection. The scope of escalator work includes step and step-chain replacement, and installation of new controllers, wiring and safety switches.

The first group of elevator closures will occur in Blossom Hill, Branham and Cottle from Jan. 10 to March 20. The second grouping includes Capitol, Tamien and both elevators at Snell, with the scheduled closures running from March until early July. The final grouping, Virginia and Curtner, then will close and return to service in September.