A recent vote by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors accepted the staff’s recommendation to officially off-ramp Kiewit Shea Traylor (KST) from its role in the tunnel construction of BART Silicon Valley Phase II (BSVII) due to cost proposals that significantly exceeded project budget limits.

The BSVII Oversight Committee unanimously approved the matter after reviewing the project’s current delivery strategy. According to an agency statement, the change aims to maintain this megaproject’s integrity, safety, and efficiency, bringing BART service into downtown San Jose and Santa Clara.

“As stewards of this region’s future, it is our responsibility to make decisions that ensure the success of this historic investment in public transit,” said VTA Chief Megaprojects Delivery Officer Tom Maguire. “This course correction reflects strong, proactive leadership and reinforces our commitment to delivering BART Silicon Valley Phase II in a fiscally responsible manner.”

Early BSVII Tunnel Work Progresses, Procurement Changes Ahead

KST has been completing preconstruction work in preparation for the tunnel portion of the six-mile extension, which includes a 5-mile single-bore tunnel. KST will complete the early BSVII construction activities that have been initiated, which include building the tunnel launch structure where the future tunnel will start.

While the change of tunnel contractors will impact the start of tunneling, VTA staff are making efforts to maintain the overall project timeline, as the rescheduling of construction package rebidding may be balanced by design enhancements and more efficient construction methods.  

In the coming months, VTA will initiate a competitive procurement process. The staff’s preliminary industry outreach with major tunneling contractors worldwide showed great interest in the project and suggests that breaking down the scope allocated to KST into multiple contract packages will better align with price estimates.