Published Tuesday, December 4, 2001, in the Contra Costa Times Livermore rail estimate pricier than expected By Bonita Brewer Contra Costa Times LIVERMORE -- A light-rail extension to BART, which was hoped to be a low-cost alternative for Livermore, would cost far more than expected. A letter sent last week from BART General Manager Thomas Margro to the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission suggests changing the original $220 million estimate for the "tBART" line to at least $345 million. That's the current cost estimate for a similar "eBART" light-rail extension being eyed in East County, from the Bay Point BART station to Antioch. Preliminary BART studies show "the potential costs for tBART will be at least as much and perhaps more" than estimates for the Antioch route, Margro's letter said. "We're probably heading to from $450 million to $500 million," said Dennis Fay, executive director of the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency. He said the price for tBART to Livermore could be higher because of right-of-way costs and what it might take to connect tBART with the existing Dublin-Pleasanton BART station, where patrons would have to transfer. Officials have been looking at carrying commuters on diesel-powered mini-trains from Livermore to BART as an interim or permanent alternative to the estimated $900 million cost to extend BART down Interstate 580 to Greenville Road. tBART, possibly through downtown Livermore, is one option being explored by the I-580 Corridor Study Committee, which met Monday and is overseeing a state study of Livermore BART extension options. Alternatives include running buses down freeway express lanes. A consultant's cost estimates for all alternatives is expected in January. It is not known if the cost of extending conventional BART also has increased. BART board member Pete Snyder and some other committee members said Monday that if the cost gap between BART and tBART is indeed closing, it may be wiser to wait for the real thing -- despite huge funding challenges. "We have to wait until we get all the cost estimates, but I agree this (new tBART figure) could make everyone's job harder," said Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty. "It could mean we try to find additional funding to build true BART, or shorten the length of that extension (by initially going down I-580 only to Isabel Avenue)." Both Haggerty and Snyder said tBART may still be an attractive alternative to BART. "If we could do full BART, I think it would be better, but there are some great advantages to tBART," Snyder said, noting it could eventually connect to eBART in Antioch and be the start of a light- rail system also connecting to Fremont and Walnut Creek. Haggerty predicted that if tBART goes forward, real BART never will. "I don't ever anticipate spending $345 million on an interim solution." So far, $80 million in local funding and $140 million in regional bridge toll revenue has been identified for some kind of transit solution for the I-580 corridor. Fay said more could be available if voters next March approve state Proposition 42, which would dedicate all sales tax on gasoline for transportation purposes and bring Alameda County a potential $400 million over 25 years. Reach Bonita Brewer at 925-847-2120 or bbrewer@cctimes.com. |