Silicon Valley BART extension

The Silicon Valley BART extension will expand service by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) into Santa Clara County, from its former terminus at the Fremont station in Alameda County. The extension has seven stations in three phases. The $790-million first phase was the Warm Springs/South Fremont station, that opened in March 2017. It broke ground in 2009, and completion had been expected in 2014.

The $2.3-billion second phase has the Milpitas and Berryessa stations, both expected to open in late 2017 or 2018. The second phase broke ground in 2012, and completion had been expected in 2016. A partnership between BART and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is building the second phase, while BART will operate and maintain the entire extension.

The proposed $4.7-billion third phase remains unfunded. Targeted for completion in 2026, it would add three new subway stations west of Berryessa: Alum Rock, Downtown San Jose, and Diridon/Arena, and a new surface station in Santa Clara.

Santa Clara County was originally going to have been part of the BART system, but local governments did not approve. Minor service at Palo Alto right over the border from San Mateo County was also planned originally.

In 2000, Santa Clara County voters approved a 30-year half-cent sales tax increase to fund BART, which took effect in 2006. To make up for a shortfall in projected federal funding, an increase in the sales tax by 0.125 percent was proposed if additional federal funding were secured.

The economy worsened in 2009, and the 2000 sales tax was projected to generate $7 billion which was short of the originally expected $11 billion. As a consequence, the number of planned stations was reduced. In addition, the line from Berryessa to downtown San Jose was delayed until 2025. This line may or may not include Santa Clara.

Construction of the Warm Springs extension began in 2009.

VTA awarded $770 million to Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog in 2011 for the first phase of the Berryessa extension, and the federal government granted $900 million for the project in 2012. Construction began the same year. It was scheduled to open in 2016. Despite substantial incentives if the opening were pulled in by 18 months (from an earlier schedule) to 2016, the Milpitas and Berryessa stations are expected to open in late 2017 or 2018.

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Wikipedia