Federal transit officials dealt what we hope is a fatal blow to
ill-conceived proposal to extend BART to San Jose.
Federal transit officials dealt what we hope is a fatal blow to ill-conceived proposal to extend BART to San Jose.
Late last month, Leslie Rogers, a Federal Transit Administration regional administrator, told the Valley Transportation Authority that it was not only suspending $2 million in federal funding, but it also advised the local transit agency not to spend money to conduct pricey engineering studies.
Why? Because the VTA has not identified the funds it needs to build or operate the BART extension. The 16-mile project to extend BART from Fremont through downtown San Jose and ending in Santa Clara carries an astounding $4.1-billion price tag.
Pardon us while we invoke the spirit of Homer Simpson: Well, duh. That’s what we’ve been saying all along. We’re glad someone with control over pursestrings agrees.
The suspension of federal funds follows last year’s “not recommended” rating for the BART extension by the FTA.
The BART-to-San Jose extension proposal, which has all of the earmarks of an effort to leave a legacy for San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales, but is woefully lacking in fiscal or common sense, would bankrupt the VTA before construction is complete, according to the VTA’s own studies. Operating the extension would plunge the transit agency even further into debt.
We were disappointed that District 1 County Supervisor and VTA chairman Don Gage expressed his continued commitment to the BART-to-San Jose boondoggle, which he originally – and sensibly – opposed.
We agree with the FTA that the VTA shouldn’t spend one red cent on BART-to-San Jose engineering studies – but that’s not enough.
It’s time to stop wasting time, money, effort and energy on this doomed project.
We call on Gage to put the best interests – not only of the South Valley but the entire region – above Gonzales’ legacy dream. Gage should introduce a motion at the next VTA board meeting to formally end efforts to bring BART to San Jose.
The VTA has more Measure B promises than Measure B money. Taking BART off the table would allow the beleaguered transit agency to fund promised projects that have been postponed or canceled. It would allow the VTA to do more of what it does best: Manage on-time, under-budget roads projects.
Canceling the BART extension would allow the VTA to expand Caltrain service, a public transit system that is well-used, well-liked and well-run, for underserved South County.
Given the cold shoulder riders have given the recently opened BART extension to the San Francisco International Airport, spending our scarce transit dollars on a system we know riders like is a much wiser move.
Let’s put the final nail in the BART-to-San Jose coffin. The VTA should immediately vote to end all BART extension efforts.
