The Department of Transportation recently recommended the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Phase II Project receive $500 million in funding.
The project is one of 18 large transit projects in 11 states recommended to receive $4.45 billion as part of President Joe Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request to Congress.
Four members of California’s Congressional delegation released a statement applauding the move.
“Expanding public transit in Silicon Valley will create good-paying construction jobs, generate economic activity, and help tackle the climate crisis by reducing emissions and traffic in the long term,” the lawmakers said. “We are thrilled to see this investment included in the Department of Transportation’s funding recommendations, and we will continue to advocate for this critical funding for our communities.”
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s BART to Silicon Valley Phase II Project would extend BART’s Silicon Valley service six miles from the Berryessa Station through downtown San Jose to Santa Clara. By 2040, the route will carry an estimated 54,600 passengers daily on weekdays.
Major construction is scheduled to begin this fall, with testing to be conducted starting in 2028.
The statement was signed by U.S. Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA).