BART

BART to San Jose Project Will Take Longer, Cost More: Federal Government

NBC Universal, Inc.

Delayed, again.

It will now take longer and cost more before BART riders in San Jose can hop on a train at a local station, according to the federal government.

The Federal Transit Administration says the plan to bring BART to San Jose could now be $4 billion over VTA's original budget and take four years longer than currently projected.

VTA says it's still making progress and is good with the federal government's goals.

"Over the next two years in advancing your design and, as you do that, demonstrate to us and present a more cost-certain and schedule-certain project," said Bernice Alaniz, BART Silicon Valley external affairs director.

This is not the first time there's been news about BART to San Jose delays.

"There's no question that this project is going to cost more and it's going to take longer," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said.

Liccardo points out the feds are still helping to fund the extension but warns that discussions about changing the way the tunnels are built will only make things longer.

"Adding three years and hundreds of millions of dollars of cost to this project because someone wants to switch horses mid-stream is not an optimal strategy to getting to the finish line," he said.

For now, VTA says commuters should know BART is still on the way.

"I want commuters in the South Bay and taxpayers in Santa Clara County to know that VTA is working diligently to deliver this project and bring it in with the cost and the schedule that we can do that's best for the public," Alaniz said.

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