BART line to Berryessa won’t be ready until at least March
Q
Just last year, wasn’t VTA proclaiming they might finish the BART line to Berryessa before the end of 2017, ahead of schedule? The same sort of crazy delays happened for the Warm Springs station. I like the concept of BART. It’s just that implementation has its problems.
— Alan Dale Brown
A
We should have a better idea early next year when the 10-mile extension is ready for passengers. The earliest is mid-March, but the end of September 2019 also is possible.
Q
BART needs to do its own testing. They are responsible for running the system, so they shouldn’t take VTA’s word that everything is hunky-dory.
— Tyler Hoa
A
BART will do its own testing as soon as VTA finishes its testing. BART’s takeover could come in a few weeks.
Q
Another year or more before BART comes to San Jose is outrageous. ... Didn’t we pass a tax to bring BART to the South Bay a long time ago? They’ve had 18 flipping years since we first passed the BART to San Jose measure to figure this stuff out. That there might be incompatibilities should not have been a surprise.
— Frank Estrada, Sam Lee and many more
A
The first tax was approved 18 years ago to build the line. A second one was approved in 2008 to cover operating costs. A third was approved in 2016 to help fund the Berryessa to downtown San Jose segment.
Q
What’s going to happen to all the old train cars BART is replacing? Will they be sold to another transit agency? Recycled? Will they end up in a landfill somewhere?
— Troy W., San Jose
A
That’s a good question with no easy answer at this point. BART is exploring options that include:
Harvesting useable parts for use in the new fleet; making some cars available to museums or to first responders for fire and rescue training; selling some cars for components.
Bottom line, says BART: The old cars won’t just end up on the trash heap.
Q
Are you aware of any long-term discussions that would route BART all the way up the Peninsula and replace Caltrain? The Bay Area would be a much more connected and pleasant place to live if BART ringed the entire Bay Area.
— Dave Gunter, San Jose
A
No. The push is to electrify Caltrain and build high-speed rail. There are no plans to extend BART from Millbrae to Santa Clara.
Q
Is the real delay in bring BART beyond Warm Springs the lack of BART cars?
— Conrad Schapira
A
No, says BART. The new fleet of 775 train cars will be ready over the next several years.