Passengers in Santa Clara County are now connected by rail to opportunities in San Francisco, thanks to a newly completed Silicon Valley Extension to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. Phase 1 of the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority’s (VTA) BART Silicon Valley Extension Program has opened for operation, which consists of two new stations, Milpitas and Berryessa/North San Jose. A Bechtel/Mott McDonald joint venture managed the project’s engineering and construction.
The 10-mile extension proceeds along the former railroad right-of-way starting at the BART Warm Springs Station to northern San Jose. It includes upgrades to the intermodal connections for local transit systems, as well as an expansion of the existing BART Hayward (maintenance) Yard.
“VTA’s Program is providing many commuters with a new option for their travel to and from San Jose,” said Jorge Martinez, Bechtel project manager. “Given Bechtel’s 122-year history in Northern California, it’s a privilege to continue being part of the region’s rail development.”
Studies of the BART extension began more than thirty years ago, with VTA adopting the Program in 2002, and Bechtel/Mott McDonald integrating with VTA in 2004. Together, the team has seen the project from conceptualization to revenue service.
“The integrated approach we used to complete this job allowed us to combine both VTA & Bechtel’s strengths and execution experience,” said Krishna Davey, VTA deputy project director. “Our team, and the strong public and political support to bring BART to San Jose, has enabled us to get to this point of servicing our community.”
