VTA wants to increase its presence, and ridership numbers, by pumping dollars into community groups near its light rail stations. To kick off the effort, VTA officials have started a transit-oriented community grant giving program to help retain nearby small businesses and uplift residents. The public transit agency has given more than $400,000 to various...
San Jose officials juggle transit design with city disruption
Silicon Valley transportation leaders are closer than ever to turning San Jose’s doorstep into one of the West Coast’s largest mass transit hubs. They just have to come up with billions to pay for it and get residents on board with the ongoing effects of major construction over the next few decades. The San Jose...
Silicon Valley transit service wins international award
A Silicon Valley transit agency is gaining international recognition for its service during some of its most tumultuous and violent times. But advocates said the agency still has work to do to heal and protect its workforce. VTA has won the Outstanding Public Transportation System award, an international recognition of transit agencies in North America honoring the agency’s...
San Jose BART expansion needs federal funding to finish the job
Construction workers broke ground on BART’s expansion in Santa Clara this week, and officials are banking on federal funding to help finish the job. Santa Clara County Supervisor and VTA Board Chair Cindy Chavez and other labor leaders urged the Federal Transportation Agency on Tuesday to approve VTA’s $6.2 billion funding request to support the...
Silicon Valley transit agency services off track, state audit shows
Santa Clara County’s main transportation agency needs to change how it is governed and improve its transparency with the people it serves, a recent audit reveals. The California State Auditor released an audit of VTA earlier this month, requesting the public transit agency improve its existing operations by taking measures such as strengthening planning and oversight of capital projects,...
UPDATE: Prep begins for Santa Clara BART extension
BART’s expansion through Silicon Valley is taking shape as pre-construction work gets underway in Santa Clara. VTA workers have started on-site preparations for phase two of BART’s expansion at the Newhall Maintenance Facility. That includes setting up temporary field offices, bringing in equipment and preparations to begin drilling the tunnel. The 6-mile extension, most of...
Silicon Valley cities work with transit agency on safer route to school
A partnership between multiple cities and a Silicon Valley transit agency is going to construct a long-needed safer route for students biking and walking to school. The Homestead Safe Routes to School project aims to make traveling to school easier for students attending Cupertino Middle School, Homestead High School and West Valley Elementary School by...
Campbell plans affordable apartments at VTA station
Campbell is set to add nearly 100 affordable homes on a site leased from VTA off Winchester Boulevard. The 1.6-acre project will turn an underutilized parking lot at the Winchester light rail station into 90 affordable apartments for residents making 60% or less of Santa Clara County’s median income — more than $153,700 in 2022,...
A win for San Jose: VTA approves homeless housing site
After a monthslong debate between local leaders, North San Jose is set to receive 200 temporary homes for homeless residents. The VTA board of directors unanimously approved building the homes at its Cerone bus yard on Thursday. The consensus by the 12-person board comes as a surprise after deep political divides and ongoing disputes threatened...
San Jose officials pressure VTA for homeless housing
Whether a result of politics or caution, San Jose’s hopes of opening an interim housing site at a public transit lot in the northern part of the city may not happen exactly how leaders want. The VTA board of directors is voting Thursday on where to build 200 homes for homeless residents. The 12-person board...