Photo: Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) held the event at the future Santa Clara Station and Newhall Yard & Maintenance Facility in San José and Santa Clara, CA.

The ceremony featured the symbolic gold-shovel groundbreaking at the West Portal where the TBM will be launched to build the 8km tunnel from Santa Clara and through downtown San José. Early construction work at the site will include building a factory to produce the tunnel liners, constructing the TBM launch shaft, a grout plant and soil storage bins to hold excavated materials before transport.

A 16.5m diameter Herrenknecht TBM will be used on the project.

The VTA’s extension of the regional BART system is the largest transport infrastructure project in the history of Santa Clara County.

The BSVII will integrate Santa Clara County with the greater Bay Area BARTA system. It will take the service from Berryessa/North San José through downtown San José to the City of Santa Clara. It includes three stations with underground platforms (28th Street/Little Portugal, Downtown San José, and Diridon), one ground-level station (Santa Clara), a train maintenance and storage facility at Newhall Yard, and additional facilities.

In 2022 Kiewit Shea Traylor joint venture (KSTJV) was awarded the design-build contract for the tunnel and trackwork.

VTA general manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot said the VTA had been unwavering in its commitment to the project.

“Our goal is to provide efficient, sustainable transit solutions that serve the needs of our growing communities,” she said.

City of San Jose mayor Matt Mahan highlighted the project’s lasting impact.

“Connecting people to the heart of Silicon Valley will create opportunity for the future. We have the responsibility to make decisions that will be transformative for not just us, but for generations to come,” he said.

The new line is scheduled to open in 2037. It will provide an average travel time of 30 minutes for an 80km journey and in reducing car use it is estimated to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 19,500 tons per year by 2040.