Someone recently asked me what I thought were the nation’s worst-managed transit projects. I suggested the Honolulu rail was number 1, the Maryland Purple Line was number 2, and BART to San Jose was number 3. But maybe I underestimated the insanity of the BART-to-San Jose line.
Estimates for cost and completion date of the BART rail extension into downtown San Jose:
2014: $4.4 bln, 2026
2020: $6.9 bln, 2030
2022: $9.3 bln, 2033
2023: $12.2 bln, 2036
2024: $12.8 bln, 2037
?The project has yet to break ground.— John Arnold (@JohnArnoldFndtn) March 12, 2024
It’s even worse than Mr. Arnold suggests. In 2001, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) did its initial alternatives analysis comparing BART with a wide range of alternatives including buses, bus rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and “Diesel light rail,” which is what the FTA now calls “hybrid rail.” BART was picked because they thought it would get the most riders even though it was also by far the most expensive. Continue reading