Published Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001, in the San Jose Mercury News 
   
Details about when, where BART will go into South Bay cities

   By Gary Richards
   
   Mercury News
   
   Q I, Plain Commuter Citizen, just want to know one thing: When is
   BART's groundbreaking -- projected, actual, implied or otherwise? You
   mention trains running in 2010 or 2012 to San Jose. Those dates are
   based on what starting date?
   
                                                             Patrick Leal
                                                                 San Jose
   A Construction could start in mid-2005 in Santa Clara County. It will
   take nearly four years to complete environmental studies and design
   the system. The Alameda County extension from Fremont to Warm Springs
   could be under way before that.
   
   Q Is there any chance of opening part of the BART extension early? I
   think the tunnel through downtown San Jose will be quite a job and
   wonder if trains could run at least to Milpitas while that work goes
   on.
   
                                                                 Mary Kim
                                                                  Fremont
   A Quite possible. But no decision will be made until more
   pre-construction studies are completed.
   
   Q The BART news is the best news in the last couple of months. I don't
   think the VTA overpaid; they got the fairest deal for the voters. I
   think in 10 years we will look back on this as one of the best deals
   they ever made. Does anyone look back on the San Jose Arena as
   overpriced and over budget?
   
                                                                Frank Lux
                                                                Sunnyvale
   A Ah, no.
   
   Q Where will BART stations be in San Jose?
   
                                                           Bernie Kotlier
   A San Jose stations are planned near Berryessa Road, Alum Rock, near
   San Jose State, Market Street, at the Diridon Station. For more
   information, click on www.vta.org. Go to the ``Studies and
   Projects'' link in the blue bar on the left. From there click on
   Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor. You can also ask questions and
   make comments about the project.
   
   Q Articles mention that BART will join light rail in Milpitas. Do you
   know the exact location?
   
                                                              Shirley Yin
                                                                 Milpitas
   A Current plans call for one Milpitas station along the old Western
   Pacific line on the back or east side of the Great Mall. A transfer
   station to light rail will be southeast of Montague Expressway. City
   officials hope a second station will be built near Calaveras
   Boulevard.
   
   Q Transit groups are worried that the VTA will have to cut bus service
   to pay for BART's daily operation into Santa Clara County. I have two
   questions about this:
   
   Wouldn't the extra fares from the increase in BART ridership cover
   most of BART? I would guess that many of those sitting in traffic on
   680 or 880 right now would consider riding BART from Hayward, Union
   City and Fremont into San Jose if that option were available.
   
   Wouldn't a BART extension into San Jose actually cause light-rail
   ridership to go up dramatically, especially on the new Tasman
   extension? I could see someone from Fremont taking BART to the Great
   Mall in Milpitas, and then transferring to light rail to get to Cisco.
   
                                                             Daniel Lyddy
   A BART fares will cover about 63 percent of the cost of running trains
   into Santa Clara County. Light-rail ridership is expected to soar, not
   only because of the BART connection. By 2004 trolleys will be running
   deep into East San Jose.
   
   Q Will BART go to the airport in San Jose?
   
                                                                 Mike Hsu
                                                                 San Jose
   A Almost. BART will end in Santa Clara at the Caltrain station west of
   the airport. Plans are to build a people mover to transport people to
   their planes.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   Have a gripe, minor annoyance or major problem with transportation?
   Contact Gary Richards at mrroadshow@sjmercury.com or (408)
   920-5335. Fax (408) 288-8060. Please leave a daytime phone number. Or
   try our home page: www0.mercurycenter.com/