Silicon Valley BART extension#Warm Springs extension

Santa Clara County was originally planned to be part of the BART system, but local governments did not approve. Minor service at Palo Alto near San Mateo County had also been planned originally.

In 2000, Santa Clara County voters approved a 30-year half-cent sales tax increase to fund BART,{{Cite news |last=Gary Richards |date=May 8, 2009 |title=BART extension to San Jose moving ahead |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ci_12319837 |access-date=August 25, 2014}} which took effect in April 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.{{Cite news |last=Gary Richards |date=December 11, 2008 |title=The VTA priority: BART — and everything else will have to wait |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ci_11198672 |access-date=August 25, 2014}}{{Failed verification|date=April 2021}} In the process of obtaining the federal funding necessary to build the BART extension, the Federal Transit Administration issued a "Not Recommended" rating in January 2004.{{Cite news |last=Cabanatuan |first=Michael |date=2004-01-16 |title=New blow for BART-to-San Jose plans: Federal funding threatened by transit advisers, who rate 16-mile extension as 'not recommended' |page=A-19 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |publisher=Hearst Communications, Inc. |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/01/16/BAG6U4BHOT1.DTL |access-date=2008-03-30}}

The FTA was concerned about the ability of VTA to operate BART and other bus services at the same time. VTA continued to design BART and prepare the required environmental documents.{{Cite web |title=2000 Measure a Transit Improvement Program - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |url=http://www.vta.org/2000_measure_a/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008010949/http://www.vta.org/2000_measure_a/index.html |archive-date=October 8, 2008 |access-date=November 17, 2021}}

In 2006, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors placed on the ballot for the upcoming primary election a half-cent general sales tax increase for unspecified transportation projects along with other county services. It was advocated for by supporters of the BART Silicon Valley extension and labor groups.{{Cite web |last=Guardino |first=Carl |date=2006-01-25 |title=Survey Results - Potential County Measure |url=http://www.vtaridersunion.org/bartsjx/svlgsurveyourresponse_01282006.html#carl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010152152/http://www.vtaridersunion.org/bartsjx/svlgsurveyourresponse_01282006.html#carl |archive-date=2007-10-10 |access-date=2008-03-29}}

The measure would have funded improvements to local hospitals, clinics, and transportation. On June 6, 2006, voters defeated the measure by a margin of 58% to 42%.{{Cite web |title=Santa Clara County, CA Ballot |url=http://www.smartvoter.org/uvote4/uvote4.cgi?addr=311+N+2ND+ST&date=2006/06/06&zip=95112}} In December 2006, the VTA board authorized $135 million in contract amendments to continue engineering work and environmental clearance on the extension,{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2006 |title=Summary Minutes, VTA Board of Directors Regular Meeting |url=http://www.vta.org/inside/boards/packets/2006/12_dec/121406/bod_121406_sm.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704201318/http://www.vta.org/inside/boards/packets/2006/12_dec/121406/bod_121406_sm.pdf |archive-date=July 4, 2008 |publisher=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |quote=Agenda items #23 through 28}} with a proposal to bring a tax increase to operate the BART extension before the voters for approval in 2008.{{cite web |last=DeBolt |first=Daniel |url=https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2008/07/22/tax-hike-proposed-to-fund-bart-extension/ |title=Tax hike proposed to fund BART extension |work=Mountain View Voice |date=July 22, 2008 |access-date=August 18, 2024}}

By a two-thirds majority, Santa Clara County voters approved Measure B in November 2008, implementing a 30-year, 1/8-cent local sales tax dedicated solely to funding the operating and maintenance costs associated with the BART Silicon Valley extension. The 2008 Measure B sales tax took effect in July 2012.SmartVoter.org (2008-11-04). "Measure B: BART Extension - VTA"[http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/scl/meas/B/]. League of Women Voters of California Education Fund. Retrieved 2014-04-09.

The economy worsened in 2009, and the 2000 sales tax was projected to generate $7 billion—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 2026,{{Cite press release |title=VTA's BART Silicon Valley Extension - Timeline |url=http://www.vta.org/bart/timeline |access-date=April 13, 2018 |website=www.vta.org}}{{Cite news |last=Meacham |first=Jody |date=January 23, 2017 |title=Are you ready for a subway? Digging for BART begins in two years |work=Silicon Valley Business Journal |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2017/01/23/are-you-ready-for-a-subway-digging-for-bart-begins.html |access-date=May 27, 2017}}{{Cite web |date=June 27, 2011 |title=Project Schedule by Phase |url=http://www.alamedactc.org/files/managed/Document/3761/AlaCTC_ACTIA02_factsheet.pdf |access-date=October 8, 2015}}{{Cite press release |title=Berryessa extension project timeline |publisher=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |url=http://www.vta.org/bart/timeline |access-date=April 7, 2017}} pushed back from 2025.{{Cite web |last=Kurimoto, Kevin |date=January 20, 2016 |title=BART Phase II Funding Strategies |url=http://vtaorgcontent.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Site_Content/BARTPhaseIIFundingWorkshop.pdf |access-date=June 19, 2016 |publisher=VTA}}{{Cite web |date=February 2016 |title=BART Silicon Valley Phase II – Extension to San Jose and Santa Clara |url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/BSV%20Phase%20II%20Extension%20Profile.pdf |access-date=June 19, 2016 |publisher=Federal Transit Administration}}

VTA awarded $770 million to Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog in 2011 for the first phase of the Berryessa Extension (Milpitas and Berryessa/North San Jose Stations), and the federal government granted $900 million for the project in 2012. Construction began the same year.{{Cite news |last=Michael Cabanatuan |date=January 11, 2012 |title=BART's San Jose extension closer to funding OK |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2012%2F01%2F10%2FBANC1MNETU.DTL |access-date=August 25, 2014}} It was scheduled to open in 2016.{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Gary |date=July 27, 2016 |title=Roadshow: BART may start running to San Jose in late 2017 |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/mr-roadshow/ci_30167750/roadshow-bart-may-start-running-san-jose-late |quote=Can we really expect BART to San Jose by next year? … A That's what the Valley Transportation Authority insists, even though its website lists 2018.}}{{Cite news |last=Michale Cabanatuan |date=March 13, 2012 |title=San Jose BART extension starts work in April |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/13/BACN1NJMLG.DTL |access-date=August 25, 2014}}

For phase II, VTA sought funding from the federal New Starts program in 2016.{{Cite web |date=March 11, 2016 |title=Phase II of VTA's BART Silicon Valley Project Gets FTA Green Light |url=http://vtaorgcontent.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Site_Content/NR-phaseIIfta-030816.pdf |access-date=June 19, 2016 |publisher=VTA}} A half-cent 30-year sales tax passed in the 2016 elections, to raise $6.0 to $6.5 billion with up to 25% of this (or $1.6 billion) for BART.{{Cite news |last=Petermann |first=Felix |date=November 7, 2016 |title=Santa Clara County to vote on sales tax increase for transportation projects as traffic worsens |publisher=Peninsula Press |url=http://peninsulapress.com/2016/11/07/santa-clara-county-measure-b/ |access-date=December 6, 2016}} VTA also sought $1.5 billion from New Starts, and $750 million from the California Cap and Trade program.{{Cite web |date=June 2, 2016 |title=VTA Board Memorandum |url=http://vtaorgcontent.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Site_Content/Envision%20SV%20Board%20Memo%202016%2006%2002.pdf |access-date=June 19, 2016 |publisher=VTA}}{{Cite news |last=Kurhi, Eric |date=June 3, 2016 |title=Silicon Valley: Half-cent transit tax going to voters |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ci_29971739/sales-tax-that-would-bring-bart-san-jose |access-date=June 19, 2016}}{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Gary |date=November 14, 2016 |title=Roadshow: What the passage of Measure B means |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/11/14/what-passing-of-measure-b-means/ |access-date=November 30, 2016}}

In 2018, VTA was awarded $2.6 billion for the project from the state's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funded by the 2017 gas tax bill.{{Cite news |last=Curry |first=Melanie |date=April 26, 2018 |title=Gas Tax Funding Announced for Transit, Highway, and Local Priority Projects |work=Streetsblog Cal |url=https://cal.streetsblog.org/2018/04/26/gas-tax-funding-announced-for-transit-highway-and-local-priority-projects/ |access-date=May 14, 2018}} In August 2019, the VTA received $125 million from the FTA under a new accelerated funding program.{{Cite press release |title=VTA Receives First of Its Kind Federal Funding Allocation |date=August 28, 2019 |publisher=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |url=https://www.vta.org/blog/vta-receives-first-its-kind-federal-funding-allocation |last1=Alaniz |first1=Bernice}}

$140 million was included in the version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 passed by the House of Representatives, but was dropped in the Senate.

In August 2024, the FTA made a commitment to grant $5 billion for Phase II. VTA plans to apply for a Full Funding Grant Agreement from the FTA after covering existing funding gaps.{{cite web |url=https://www.vta.org/blog/federal-government-commits-5-billion-bart-sv-extension |title=Federal Government Commits $5 Billion to BART SV Extension |work=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |date=August 2, 2024 |access-date=August 18, 2024}}

The project is broken into three phases.

;Notes

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File:BART WSX overlay.svg

The {{convert|5.4|mi||adj=mid|-long}} extension to Warm Springs was constructed by BART south from the existing Fremont station (opened in 1972) to the new Warm Springs/South Fremont station; revenue service began in March 2017.{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2014 |title=BART - Warm Springs Extension Project Overview |url=http://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx/ |access-date=July 15, 2014 |publisher=Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)}} The original estimate was $890 million,{{Cite news |last=David Louie |date=March 24, 2017 |title=Warm Springs BART station could face funding hurdles |publisher=abc7 |url=http://abc7news.com/news/warm-springs-bart-station-could-face-funding-hurdles/1817169/ |access-date=March 26, 2017}} but the cost of the subway segment under Lake Elizabeth was reduced by 45% from the original estimate of $249 million to $136 million, bringing the total cost to $790 million.{{Cite news |last=Bay City News Service |date=August 24, 2009 |title=BART to allow contractors to begin work on Warm Springs extension |work=Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2009/08/24/fremont-bart-to-allow-contractors-to-begin-work-on-warm-springs-extension/ |access-date=March 26, 2017}}

File:Warm Springs from Auto Mall 0915.JPG, September 12, 2012]]

The Warm Springs/South Fremont station opened on March 25, 2017.{{Cite news |last=Cabanatuan |first=Michael |date=March 11, 2017 |title=BART's long-awaited Warm Springs extension to open March 25 |work=SFGate |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BART-s-long-awaited-Warm-Springs-extension-to-10993146.php |access-date=March 12, 2017}} The extension broke ground in 2009, and was originally scheduled for completion in 2014.{{Cite news |last=Bowers |first=Wes |date=October 2, 2009 |title=Warm Springs BART link breaks ground in Fremont |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/fremont/ci_13470874 |access-date=July 10, 2016 |quote=Construction on the second phase, which includes track work, the station, line and systems, is anticipated to start next year. BART officials believe construction will last about three and a half years, and the new station to be named South Fremont should be open in 2014.}}{{Cite web |date=May 5, 2011 |title=Warm Springs Extension Project Overview |url=http://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530221551/http://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx/ |archive-date=May 30, 2011 |access-date=August 12, 2015 |publisher=BART |quote=Commencement of revenue service to Warm Springs Target Late 2014}} Construction of the station began in 2011,{{Cite web |title=Warm Springs Extension Construction Schedule |url=http://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728031609/https://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx |archive-date=July 28, 2016 |access-date=July 28, 2016 |publisher=BART |quote=Construction of the design-build Line, Track, Station and Systems (LTSS) contract, which began in October of 2011, is expected to be physically completed in summer 2016.}} and was expected to take three and a half years. However, the opening was delayed repeatedly, and ultimately pushed back to spring 2017.{{Cite news |title=Software Snafu Delays BART's Warm Springs Station Project |url=http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Software-Snafu-Delays-BART_s-Warm-Springs-Station-Project_Bay-Area-411148505.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119145118/http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Software-Snafu-Delays-BART_s-Warm-Springs-Station-Project_Bay-Area-411148505.html |archive-date=January 19, 2017 |quote=Software troubles could mean BART’s $900 million Warm Springs extension in Fremont will not be up and running until spring, officials acknowledge.}}

The Berryessa Extension extends south from the Warm Springs/South Fremont station.{{cite web |url=https://www.vta.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/VTABSV_FactSheet_2023_Phase%20I%20Berryessa_0.pdf |title=Phase I - Berryessa Extension Fact Sheet |work=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |date=November 27, 2023 |access-date=August 18, 2024}}

File:BART Silicon Valley extension.svg

The {{convert|10|mi||adj=mid|-long}} Berryessa extension to north San Jose encompasses the Milpitas station and the Berryessa station. A proposed infill station at Calaveras Boulevard in downtown Milpitas has been deferred until the city secures funding. Milpitas Station connects to VTA's Milpitas light rail station (formerly known as Montague station) near the Great Mall of the Bay Area via a pedestrian bridge.

Originally the entire Silicon Valley Extension from Fremont to Santa Clara was proposed as one megaproject, but lower than expected federal funding and sales tax revenue eliminated some stations from the original project and caused the division into two phases. Phase 1 extends to Berryessa, and Phase 2 will extend through downtown San Jose to Santa Clara. The Phase 1 scope was set by what VTA could afford. A local industrial park sued in 2011, without success, on environmental grounds claiming that the extension would reduce vehicular access.{{Cite news |last=Mike Rosenberg |date=April 8, 2011 |title=Milpitas industrial park sues to halt BART extension to Silicon Valley |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_17805241 |access-date=August 25, 2014}}

The project saw numerous delays,{{Cite news |last=Angst |first=Maggie |date=November 18, 2019 |title=Delays on Delays: Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations definitely will not open in 2019; Officials won't say when they expect the stations to open in 2020 |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/11/18/delays-on-delays-milpitas-and-berryessa-bart-stations-will-definitely-not-open-in-2019/ |access-date=November 18, 2019}} and completion was pushed back many times from the originally-planned 2016.{{Cite news |last=Senese |first=Kyra |date=February 5, 2018 |title=BART Phase 1 extension opening pushed back |work=Railway Age |url=http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/rapid-transit/bart-phase-1-extension-opening-pushed-back.html |access-date=February 8, 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Cabanatuan |first=Michael |date=August 22, 2017 |title=BART pulls forecast for early completion of Silicon Valley extension |work=SFGate |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BART-pulls-forecast-for-early-completion-of-11951182.php |access-date=February 8, 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Kurhi |first=Eric |date=August 22, 2017 |title=Milpitas, Berryessa stations won't open until June 2018 |work=Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/22/bart-milpitas-berryessa-stations-wont-open-until-june-2018/ |access-date=February 8, 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Baldassari |first=Erin |date=January 19, 2018 |title=It's here! First train in BART's new fleet makes inaugural run |work=Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/01/19/its-here-first-train-in-barts-new-fleet-makes-inaugural-run/ |access-date=February 8, 2018}}{{Cite news |title=Milpitas, Berryessa BART stations may not open until 2019 |author-first1=Erin|author-last1=Baldassari|date=6 March 2018|work=San Jose Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/03/02/milpitas-berryessa-bart-stations-may-not-open-until-2019/ |access-date=March 2, 2018 |quote=VTA officials . . . are now saying the opening looks closer to January or even March next year.}}{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Gary |date=November 9, 2018 |title=BART extension to San Jose still nearly a year away |work=Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/11/09/opening-bart-extension-to-san-jose-still-nearly-a-year-away-roadshow/ |access-date=November 9, 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Gary |date=February 8, 2019 |title=BART testing to San Jose picks up; Nov. 1 opening tentatively set |work=Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/02/08/bart-testing-to-san-jose-picks-up-nov-1-opening-tentatively-set/}}{{Cite news |last=Swan |first=Rachel |date=June 6, 2019 |title=BART ready to test Silicon Valley extension, preparing to open it by year's end |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/BART-ready-to-test-Silicon-Valley-extension-13953201.php |access-date=June 7, 2019}}{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2019 |title=BART ready to test Silicon Valley extension, preparing to open it by year's end - SFChronicle.com |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/BART-ready-to-test-Silicon-Valley-extension-13953201.php |access-date=June 19, 2019 |website=www.sfchronicle.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=October 1, 2019 |title=Are the Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations going to open on time? It's complicated. |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/milpitas-berryessa-bart-opening-date-delay-14484197.php |access-date=October 10, 2019 |quote=Revenue service will not start on Dec. 28, 2019 if VTA does not resolve the discrepancies necessary for BART to start pre-revenue testing by Oct. 21, 2019}}{{Excessive citations inline|date=April 2021}}

Milpitas and Berryessa/North San José stations opened on June 13, 2020.{{Cite press release |title=VTA and BART will Defer Operations on the Berryessa Extension |date=November 15, 2019 |url=https://www.vta.org/blog/vta-and-bart-will-defer-operations-berryessa-extension |last1=Alaniz |first1=Bernice |access-date=November 17, 2019 |website=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority}}{{Cite news |last=Meacham |first=Jody |date=November 18, 2019 |title=BART service to Santa Clara County isn't going to happen this year |work=Silicon Valley Business Journal |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2019/11/18/bart-service-to-santa-clara-county-isnt-going-to.html |access-date=November 18, 2019}}{{Cite news |date=June 13, 2020 |title='Beautiful,' 'surreal': Riders celebrate new era for BART and South Bay as stations open |work=The Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/13/beautiful-surreal-riders-celebrate-new-era-for-bart-and-south-bay-as-stations-open/ |access-date=April 9, 2021}}

File:Santa Clara station (35367067716).jpg Caltrain station. PayPal Park (then Avaya Stadium) can be seen in the background.]]

The final Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara leg has been planned through downtown San Jose to Santa Clara at an estimated cost of $6.8 billion. This third phase, {{convert|6|mi}} long, is largely underground, featuring a {{convert|5|mi||adj=mid|-long}} tunnel. It would continue south from Berryessa, entering a tunnel to cross the Bayshore Freeway before continuing to a 28th Street/Little Portugal station on the city's "east side". From there, the tunnel would continue west under Santa Clara Street to a Downtown San Jose subway station, which would be an interchange station to VTA light rail lines on the surface at Santa Clara. The original proposal had additional subway stations between Alum Rock and Downtown at Civic Plaza/SJSU and Plaza de César Chávez, but these were consolidated into a single station to cut costs. The line would continue underground to the San Jose Diridon station, a transfer point to Amtrak, Caltrain, Altamont Corridor Express, VTA light rail and bus, and the planned California High-Speed Rail system. The proposed BART subway station would be named "Diridon" to match. The extension would then surface and continue to the site of the current Santa Clara Caltrain Station. A {{convert|40|acre|adj=on}} BART maintenance yard would also be created at Newhall as part of this phase, using land just south of Santa Clara station that was purchased by VTA from Union Pacific.{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2018 |title=Fact Sheet: VTA's BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project {{!}} Newhall Maintenance Facility |url=http://vtaorgcontent.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/Site_Content/BART_Phase2_Newhall_8.16.18.pdf |publisher=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority}} Like the Berryessa Extension, it would be built by VTA, but operated by BART.

After funding was secured for Berryessa (the first phase of the Silicon Valley Extension) in March 2012, VTA began looking for additional funding to complete the $6.8 billion second phase.{{Cite web |title=Financial |date=June 25, 2000 |url=http://www.vta.org/bart/financial |access-date=June 19, 2016 |publisher=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority}}

In late 2017, a disagreement arose between VTA and BART over whether the tunnel should have a single bore or dual bores. VTA favored a single {{convert|45|ft|m|adj=mid|-wide}} bore, configured as a double-deck stack, with one track on the upper level and one on the lower level. VTA preferred a single bore to shorten the construction schedule and avoid cut and cover construction on Santa Clara Street for station sites. City officials believed cut and cover construction would be disruptive to streets and businesses, citing the construction of the Market Street subway as evidence.{{Cite news |date=September 3, 2017 |title=BART to Santa Clara Busts Budget |work=People Powered Press |url=http://www.peoplepoweredpress.org/2017/09/03/bart-to-santa-clara-busts-budget/ |access-date=October 29, 2019}}{{Cite web |last=Childress |first=Brandi |date=November 20, 2017 |title=Peer Review Results on BART Phase II |url=http://www.vta.org/News-and-Media/Connect-with-VTA/Peer-Review-Results-on-BART-Phase-II#.WhsZGDeQxaQ |access-date=November 26, 2017 |publisher=Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority}} The single-bore design is newer, but less tested in the United States. However, BART preferred dual bores, as used elsewhere in its system, to cut construction cost and standardize the procedure for emergency evacuations. The twin bores would each be {{convert|20|ft|m}} wide, and separated horizontally.{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Gary |date=October 2, 2017 |title=BART to San Jose: Is one subway tunnel cheaper, less disruptive to build? |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/02/sjm-l-bart-10xx/ |access-date=November 26, 2017}} Local businesses, cities and VTA were lobbying for a single bore in 2018.{{Cite news |last1=Ross |last2=Matier |date=November 21, 2017 |title=BART's big dig leading to a big fight in Silicon Valley |work=San Francisco Chronicle |url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/BART-s-big-dig-leading-to-a-big-fight-in-12375762.php |access-date=November 26, 2017}} The design decision was postponed for three months;{{Cite web |date=January 24, 2018 |title=FTA Extends BART Phase II Development Timeline |url=http://www.vta.org/News-and-Media/Connect-with-VTA/VTA-Gets-FTA-Approval-to-Extend-Project-Development-Phase-for-BART-Silicon-Valley-Phase-II-Extension#.WpuQS3xrxaQ |access-date=March 3, 2018 |publisher=VTA}} in March, BART and VTA reached agreement on a single bore.{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Jason |date=March 30, 2018 |title=VTA, BART agree on one-tunnel option for San Jose extension |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/03/30/agreement-reached-on-tunnel-option-for-san-jose-bart-extension/ |access-date=April 1, 2018}}{{Cite web |title=VTA Board Approves Staff Recommendation for BART Silicon Valley Phase II Project |url=http://www.vta.org/News-and-Media/Connect-with-VTA/VTA-Board-Approves-Staff-Recommendation-for-BART-Silicon-Valley-Phase-II-Project#.WtEYAS7waUk |access-date=April 13, 2018 |website=www.vta.org |language=en}} The $125 million contract for engineering the single bore tunnel was awarded to a joint venture bid placed by London-based Mott MacDonald and San Francisco-based PGH Wong Engineering.{{Cite news |last=Meacham |first=Jody |date=January 11, 2019 |title=VTA awards general engineering contract for BART subway in San Jose |work=Silicon Valley Business Journal |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2019/01/11/bart-subway-san-jose-general-engineering-contract.html |access-date=January 14, 2019}}

Initial construction and soil sampling began in January 2019.{{Cite news |last=DeRuy |first=Emily |date=January 17, 2019 |title=BART construction beginning in downtown San Jose |work=Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/01/17/bart-construction-beginning-in-downtown-san-jose/ |access-date=January 23, 2019}} In September,{{Cite news |last=Avalos |first=George |date=September 25, 2019 |title=BART delays loom for downtown San Jose |work=San Jose Mercury News |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/24/bart-delays-loom-for-downtown-san-jose/ |access-date=September 25, 2019}} it was announced that the project would be delayed three to four years, with revenue service to begin in 2029–2030.{{Cite news |last=Handa |first=Robert |date=September 25, 2019 |title=New Design on BART Extension to San Jose Pushes Back Completion Date to 2030 |work=NBC Bay Area |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/New-Design-on-BART-Extension-to-San-Jose-Pushes-Back-Completion-Date-to-2030-561382191.html |access-date=September 30, 2019}} On October 15, 2021, VTA announced that it would award construction contracts for this phase's stations in summer 2022.{{Cite web |date=October 15, 2021 |title=VTA To Award Contracts For BART Extension To Downtown San Jose, Santa Clara |url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/10/15/vta-to-award-contracts-for-bart-extension-to-downtown-san-jose-santa-clara/ |access-date=October 17, 2021 |website=CBS Bay Area}} In May 2022, the first major contract for the Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara extension was awarded to [https://www.kstjv.com/ Kiewit Shea Traylor Joint Venture], a joint venture between Kiewit Corporation, J.F. Shea Co and [https://www.traylor.com/ Traylor Brothers, Inc]. KSTJV will bore the 4-mile tunnel from Berryessa to Diridon, and construct the 1-mile above-ground track from Diridon to Santa Clara.{{Cite web

|title=VTA Board Approves First Major Contract of BART Extension to Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara

|url=https://www.vta.org/blog/vta-board-approves-first-major-contract-bart-extension-downtown-san-josesanta-clara

|access-date=2 September 2022

|website=Valley Transportation Authority

}}{{Cite web

|title=California rail project tunnel contract awarded

|access-date=3 May 2023

|website=Ground Engineering

|last=Kajastie

|first=Nia

|date=23 May 2022

|url=https://www.geplus.co.uk/news/california-rail-project-tunnel-contract-awarded-23-05-2022/

}} In October 2023, it was announced that the project would be further delayed until 2036.

• Bay Area Rapid Transit expansion
• List of Bay Area Rapid Transit stations

{{Reflist|25em}}

{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}

• [http://www.vta.org/bart/ VTA.org: BART extension webpage]
• [http://www.mercurynews.com/bart/ San Jose Mercury News: BART news section]
• [http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/smart_growth/tod/corridors/bart_to_sj.pdf MTC.gov report on extension]

{{Bay Area Rapid Transit}}

{{VTA}}

{{Bay Area tunnels}}

Category:Bay Area Rapid Transit

Category:Proposed public transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:Public transportation in Alameda County, California

Category:Public transportation in Santa Clara County, California

Category:Transportation in San Jose, California

Category:Milpitas, California

Category:Santa Clara, California

Category:Silicon Valley

Category:Proposed railway lines in California

Category:Railway lines opened in 2020

Category:2036 in rail transport