Transit advocates have pressed the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to release a crucial report analyzing whether a twin-bore tunneling method could significantly lower the $12.75 billion cost of the San Jose BART extension. VTA plans to update its cost analysis and compare it with the single-bore method chosen earlier, which has faced criticism due to rising project costs and concerns about transit disruption. Expected in August 2024, the report may finally provide clarity amid a looming funding gap over $1 billion.
Critics have long questioned the 2018 decision, especially in light of the ballooning project cost, which has risen from $4.7 billion in 2014 to $12.75 billion.
VTA and BART came to an agreement on the tunneling issue back in 2018, with BART initially preferring the twin-bore approach, which would require digging two side-by-side tunnels.
The delayed report release has raised concerns over transparency as the agency races to close a funding gap that tops $1 billion.
VTA stated in May 2024 that the report updating costs, risks, and impacts would take three months to complete, with work beginning in June 2024.
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