SAN JOSE, Calif. — Bay Area Rapid Transit’s planned extension to San Jose could take four years longer to complete than currently estimated and cost substantially more than the original and current estimates, according to a federal report.
The Bay Area News Group, which obtained the Federal Transportation Administration document through a Public Records act request, reports the FTA analysis indicate the extension may not be complete until June 2034 and could cost $9.1 billion. That is $4.4 billion more than the initial estimate by the Valley Transportation Authority. The latest estimate by the VTA — which is funding the extension because it is not part of the five-county BART agency — is $2.2 billion less than the federal figure.
The FTA report found VTA estimates of cost and construction time to be “overly optimistic,” with methodology described as “insufficient” and “illogical.” Much of the federal agency’s reservations stem from plans to dig a single, 4.7-mile long, 48-foot-wide tunnel for the extension. The FTA said VTA projected a rate of progress more than twice as fast as recent highway projects elsewhere that involved similar tunnels.
The VTA disputed the federal findings when the report was being produced in 2021, and rejected recommendations such as a 14-month addition to the construction schedule. Ultimately, the local agency did add 10 months to its schedule.
It will be funny to watch CalTrans trying to clear all of the assumed storage space on the ROW between Shortridge and San Fernando streets. Its become a total storage bazaar in there.
Something about riding in a tunnel for so long when you are only 15 miles from one of the more active faults in the US. Just sayin.
If the Dumbarton heavy rail bridge re-purpose goes down to serve Fremont to the west bay, then BART will serve the San Jose market without having to circle the entire south bay to get there. But it does appear BART wants to circle the bay (someday)
Help me out here. If I am not mistaken there is already a commuter rail line from San Francisco to San Jose in place and being electrified now. So what is the purpose of the BART extension?
The BART extension will be on the east side of the Bay. BART currently ends just south of Mabury at the 101 Freeway. To get to the Diridon Transportation Center on the surface would require the destruction of several historic neighborhoods. Hence the tunnel.
BART follows the old WP ROW to the current terminus. Southwest of there, some of the ROW is in place and others it is covered with low income housing. However, the old WP line skirts around the downtown area and never does reach Diridon.
To Charles’ point, San Jose is in the Bay Area of California. Enough said.
Thanks for the info Chris. I did not know it was on the East side of the Bay.
You fail to mention they completely ignored an above grade aka viaduct option for the line through downtown(which is completely feasible), even though that would be significantly less expensive than either a double bore or single bore tunnel. Of course I need to see the FTA report to see which single bore highway tunnels they compare this construction to(and is the soil comparable).
P.S. – This would also extend to the Santa Clara CalTrain station, thereby creating a circle route between S.F., Oakland and San Jose.
You know it’s possible to bring a major project to completion on time on budget. I’ve seen it happen. It’s simple. You look at Boston’s I-93 Big Dig or CalHSR, see the mistakes, learn from these mistakes, and don’t make the same mistakes on your own project.