The current BART extension plan spans 6 miles and is projected at $12.75 billion, with completion not expected until 2037 or later. Challenges include uncertainty over federal funding and escalating construction costs. The South Bay Progressive Alliance suggests cheaper and more efficient alternatives, such as bus rapid transit and light rail. The VTA has legal authority to modify plans due to changing circumstances, such as decreased sales tax revenue and rising expenses. New technologies present opportunities for better transit solutions that are both faster and cleaner than the outdated BART system.
The current plan aims to dig a massive tunnel from East San Jose's Berryessa BART station to Diridon Station, projected to take more than a decade.
VTA can seek alternative funding or pivot to modern transit solutions like bus rapid transit and light rail, which provide better returns at lower costs.
With declining sales tax revenue and high construction costs, the VTA can legally revise its plans under Measure B, passed by voters in 2016.
Walking away from 25 years of planning is difficult, but ballooning costs make it hard to justify in light of faster, cleaner alternatives.
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