On Friday October 20, 2023 the VTA Board of Directors convened a workshop designed to examine the current status of the BART Phase II project.
The Consultant made a lengthy presentation enumerating “unavoidable” factors that it described as having caused the $3.1 billion increase in project capital costs from the $9.1 billion established a little over a year ago by the Federal Transportation Authority to today’s $12.2 billion. Also presented was a substantial amount of detailed information about the project, consisting mainly of the difficult challenges and continuing uncertainties ahead.
The Directors were clearly interested in the subject and raised a number of questions. There seemed to be a general feeling that it was becoming increasingly difficult to explain to constituents the series of cost increases, particularly with respect to the switch to the 54-foot single bore tunnel from the previous and much more common twin bore approach. There was also a general concern over the prospect of still more delays and cost increases.
A new BART Phase II Steering Committee comprised of six members of the VTA Board, including Matt Mahan, Mayor of San Jose and Cindy Chavez, Santa Clara County Supervisor, has been established. The Committee appears to be prepared to delve more deeply and more independently into large outstanding questions, some of long standing. Patrick Burt, VTA Board member and Palo Alto City Councilman has been designated as the Chair of the group, the first meeting of which is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday November 29th.
Bay Area Transportation Working Group 