Spring Break
Proposed BART plan inches along
Nick Veronin
Issue date: 2/26/07 Section: News
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Realization of the proposed plan to connect the Bay Area Rapid Transit system to Silicon Valley - a project that has been talked about for years - is close. But don't go lighting your cigars just yet.
According to Brandi Hall, a public outreach specialist for the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority, no one will be speeding from San Jose to San Francisco in a gray and blue BART car until at least 2015.
Hall said that the VTA, who is in charge of the $4.7 billion Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor project, has a plan currently in motion, but that the process takes a while as it involves a great deal of planning, public meetings and proposals to government.
"Basically," she said, "there is a proposed project to extend the existing BART system from … the planned Warm Springs station … into Milpitas, downtown San Jose and Santa Clara."
Nick Tillman, a computer engineering major at SJSU, lives in Newark and commutes to campus four days a week on the 180 Express - a VTA commuter bus that runs between Fremont BART and the San Jose Diridon train and bus station located near the HP Pavilion. He said he would like to see BART extended to San Jose.
"For me, at least, it would save the commute," Tillman said.
The commute Tillman refers to is 45-to-90 minutes, depending on road conditions, that he spends Monday through Thursday riding the 180 Express each way to and from campus. He said that a service such as BART would cut down on commute time by avoiding roads altogether.
Anthony Petty, a sophomore majoring in business administration, said that he expects to spend at least 90 minutes commuting to and from school regardless of traffic conditions.
Petty commutes from Oakland, taking BART to the Fremont station where he catches the 180 Express. He estimates that he might save a half-hour if BART went directly to San Jose.
"Of course," he said of whether or not he would ride BART to school if it were available, noting that it would save time for anybody who takes public transit from the East Bay.
According to Brandi Hall, a public outreach specialist for the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority, no one will be speeding from San Jose to San Francisco in a gray and blue BART car until at least 2015.
Hall said that the VTA, who is in charge of the $4.7 billion Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor project, has a plan currently in motion, but that the process takes a while as it involves a great deal of planning, public meetings and proposals to government.
"Basically," she said, "there is a proposed project to extend the existing BART system from … the planned Warm Springs station … into Milpitas, downtown San Jose and Santa Clara."
Nick Tillman, a computer engineering major at SJSU, lives in Newark and commutes to campus four days a week on the 180 Express - a VTA commuter bus that runs between Fremont BART and the San Jose Diridon train and bus station located near the HP Pavilion. He said he would like to see BART extended to San Jose.
"For me, at least, it would save the commute," Tillman said.
The commute Tillman refers to is 45-to-90 minutes, depending on road conditions, that he spends Monday through Thursday riding the 180 Express each way to and from campus. He said that a service such as BART would cut down on commute time by avoiding roads altogether.
Anthony Petty, a sophomore majoring in business administration, said that he expects to spend at least 90 minutes commuting to and from school regardless of traffic conditions.
Petty commutes from Oakland, taking BART to the Fremont station where he catches the 180 Express. He estimates that he might save a half-hour if BART went directly to San Jose.
"Of course," he said of whether or not he would ride BART to school if it were available, noting that it would save time for anybody who takes public transit from the East Bay.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
shauna c
posted 2/26/07 @ 1:10 PM PST
Great story!! please keep us abreast of the updates. There is a public meeting regarding the Environmental Impact Report at City hall - check the VTA site for more details. (Continued…)
accountablevta
posted 2/27/07 @ 4:01 PM PST
What the reporter did not say is that how much is it going to cost students. BART isn't going to be free for students like the current bus between Fremont and San Jose (same goes for Caltrain today). (Continued…)
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