After at least ten years of planning with some local residents in East San Jose, staff from the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) appeared to have turned the other cheek. It was learned on October 6 that VTA staff have proposed to stop pursuit for funding for a BART stop in the Five Wounds church area (photograph above) in East San Jose as well as a stop in Santa Clara near the Caltrain station there.
The proposal sparked outrage from East San Jose residents and local politicians. Because the community SPOKE UP against on the proposal, VTA has heard residents there and held off on further implementing their proposal. To that end, VTA will have three (3) public meetings in December to further discuss the proposed station cuts, as well as the future of the BART project. Meeting dates, times, and how to get there by bus are below:
- Monday, December 1, 2014 from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose, VTA’s 22, 23, 77, and 522 Rapid bus lines serve the Mexican Heritage Plaza.
- Tuesday, December 2, 2014 from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the VTA Customer Service Center, 55 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose, VTA’s 22, 63, 66, 68, 72, 73, 81, 82, and 522 Rapid bus lines stop near the Center. The Customer Service Center is also a 3 minute walk from the Santa Clara light rail station.
- Tuesday, December 9 from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Santa Clara University, Locatelli Hall – Building 710
500 El Camino Real in Santa Clara. VTA’s 22, 60, 81 and 522 Rapid bus lines serve the area.
If you care about having future BART stops in East San Jose or Santa Clara, come to either or all of these PUBLIC meetings.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users