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June 30, 2010
By David Goll
SAN JOSE — The BART extension project from Fremont
to San Jose's Berryessa district will receive another $40
million in state traffic congestion relief funds.
Members of the California Transportation Commission unanimously
approved the allocation Wednesday. It's the second installment
of what is expected to be a total of $240 million in support
of the 10-mile, $2.1 billion project that will extend BART
from the future Warm Springs BART station in Fremont to North
San Jose.
The extension is one of nine statewide classified as a "tier
one" project, giving it a higher priority for state funds.
The latest allocation of $40 million will go toward engineering
expenses.
"The state’s continuing funding commitment, coupled
with recent federal environmental clearance, brings closer
the day when BART will open its doors in Silicon Valley,"
Sam Liccardo, chairman of the VTA board of directors and San
Jose City Council member, said in a statement. "VTA’s
partnership with the California Transportation Commission
has proven key to our recent progress."
To date, VTA has received $489 million in federal, state and
local funds for the BART extension, while the Bay Area Rapid
Transit District has been awarded $111 million for the 5.4-mile,
$890 million BART Warm Springs extension. The first step to
bringing BART to Santa Clara County, the extension from the
existing Fremont BART station to Warm Springs at the south
end of Fremont is expected to be completed by 2014.
Eventually, VTA wants to complete a 16-mile BART extension,
bringing the commuter rail line from the Berryessa district
into downtown San Jose and Santa Clara. Total project cost
is $6 billion. VTA currently provides bus, light rail and
paratransit services throughout Santa Clara County.
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