The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) broke ground on a 10-mile extension to Silicon Valley that will provide a new choice for residents who commute to the high-tech corridor each day.

The U.S. Department of Transportation last month approved $900 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds for the project, leveraging a $1.4 billion commitment by the State of California and voters who twice approved using local sales taxes to expand transit choices in Santa Clara County.

The Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project involves the construction of two new stations, in Milpitas and Berryessa, and the purchase of 40 new passenger railcars. This significant New Starts investment continues the planned 16-mile BART Silicon Valley extension, bringing transit service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara County. According to BART, the project will create more than 2,500 construction-related jobs and help to relieve highway congestion in the nation’s major high-tech corridor.

Once completed, the new rail segment will be part of a 119-mile BART network connecting Santa Clara County with San Mateo, San Francisco, Contra Costa and Alameda counties. FTA funds comprise 38.6% of the $2.3 billion project. The balance is financed with $1.4 billion in funds from the State of California Traffic Congestion Relief Program and local sales taxes approved by Santa Clara voters in 2000 and 2008.