At the VTA Board of Directors meeting on May 5th, 2022, the VTA Board will vote on a contract for the initial stage of the Tunnel & Trackwork, known as Contract Package 2 (CP2) for VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension (BSVII) Project.
CP2 is the largest of four contracts serving as the foundational backbone of the BSVII Project, interfacing with the three other Contract Packages and ultimately includes building the majority of the infrastructure that will enable the remaining contracts to be successfully delivered.
The pending award of this preliminary stage for this contract signifies a major milestone for the Project, and further demonstrates VTA’s continued efforts and commitment to delivering BART service to downtown San José and Santa Clara.
CP2 Delivery – Progressive Design-Build
Contract Package 2 will be delivered through a Progressive Design-Build delivery method, via two stages, further described below.
At the May VTA Board Meeting, the VTA Board will vote on the initial Stage 1 phase of the contract. This is anticipated as the first request of a series of Board Award authorizations for CP2 that will occur from now through 2023.
Stage 1 includes further advancing design, review of innovations, and continued detailed development of schedules and cost estimates – all in an open-collaborative environment. This work will include collaboration between the CP2 Contractor, VTA, BART, the City of San Jose, City of Santa Clara, and the community.
Some early construction activities, such as utility relocations and building demolition may occur during this stage also. During this stage, the final configuration within the limits of the currently approved project, the total construction cost, and the schedule for completion work will be determined, setting the stage for major construction (Stage 2).
During Stage 2, the CP2 Contractor will begin the heavy construction phase and continue working with VTA, other Contract Packages, and stakeholders as the project progresses ultimately towards final completion.
Innovation in Project Delivery
As we embark on this exciting advancement of the project, it is important to recap all the collaborative efforts and work done to date regarding the selected tunneling methodology, to better understand what will ultimately be advanced as part of the CP2 Contract.
In 2008, following a decision to phase the original 16-mile BART Silicon Valley Extension Program, VTA paused design on the 6-mile underground tunnel portion of the extension (ultimately BSVII). In 2014, VTA restarted the planning efforts for BSVII with an update to the project environmental documents. As part of this effort, and in response to ongoing community and public concerns about disruption during construction, as well as advances and feedback within the tunneling industry, VTA initiated studies on the viability of a single bore tunnel alternative for the extension.
The timeline below summarizes the effort VTA, in coordination with BART and several peer agency partners, have taken to study and evaluate both the twin and single bore tunneling methodologies and its application to the BSVII Project.
The areas evaluated with agency partners and outside experts included safety, security, operability, passenger experience, risk, cost, schedule, and more. After years of extensive analysis, environmental considerations, peer and expert input, agency collaboration, and public discussion about twin and single bore, policy makers decided to advance the project through the single, large diameter tunnel.
VTA is appreciative of the significant collaborative work amongst our partner agencies, stakeholders, and community over the years.