Valley Transportation Authority Government News Digest

Five light rail stations in Mountain View will be closed between April 24 and April 28 for infrastructure repairs.

A meeting of Mountain View residents living near Whisman Station and the VTA was held to resolve complaints of loud ringing of bells and horns.

As part of the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project, the Valley Transportation Authority has announced a contest to name the tunnel boring machine.

Incidents of copper wire theft reported at Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority sites have resulted in over $500,000 of damages so far this year.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) has received the first of 92 hybrid buses for the agency's hybrid fleet, and hopes to decommission older gas fueled buses as the new vehicles are commissioned.

With Super Bowl LX just a few years away from arriving at Levi’s Stadium and the FIFA World Cup quick on its heels, the Valley Transportation Agency has started planning the big events.

VTA has just made a $76 million purchase to help bring BART to Santa Clara.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority said it authorized the purchase of the transit tunnel boring machine to complete the 5-mile underground section of the VTA BART Silicon Valley extension.

Though San Jose Mayor Mahan invited four labor groups representing Valley Transportation Authority workers to receive an award for collaborating to secure more housing options for homeless people in San Jose at the Cerone VTA yard, the leaders are declining the award.

The rapidly rising cost of construction materials and labor prices, along with the impacts of inflation, have boosted the anticipated cost of the final phase of VTA’s BART to Silicon Valley completion from $9.3 billion to $12.2 billion.

Beginning next year, VTA will have the ability under state law to ban troublesome passengers who attack frontline transit employees. But there's a catch—the transit agency won’t actually be able to wield that authority until it completes a series of critical steps.

After a monthslong debate between local leaders, San Jose is set to receive 200 temporary housing units for homeless residents in North San Jose—with help from the local transit agency and the state.

Whether a result of politics or caution, San Jose’s hopes of opening an interim housing site at a public transit lot in the northern part of the city may not happen exactly how leaders want.

Twenty years after East San Jose residents began advocating for more open spaces in their community, city leaders have completed a key step in expanding the neighborhood’s celebrated Five Wounds Trail.

A new contract aimed at beefing up VTA’s emergency preparedness is getting attention among some officials for its large price tag. Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said with such a significant dollar amount, the contract’s services should be tracked closely.

A lawsuit filed by the family of a VTA rail yard shooting victim is moving forward, after a judge ruled against the transit agency’s request to dismiss the lawsuit from the family of Lars Kepler “Kep” Lane.

The Valley Transportation Agency has released plans to help support Santa Clara and San Jose small businesses during the construction of the Silicon Valley BART extension project.

Santa Clara County residents could soon ride on the region's first bicycle superhighway. Valley Transportation Authority could approve construction of a 10-mile stretch of bike lanes between San Jose and Santa Clara as soon as next month.

Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority will be audited by the state as one lawmaker looks to change up how it's run.

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority announced findings from an independent investigation into the May 26, 2021, mass shooting that left nine employees dead.

The San Jose City Council voted unanimously last week to pursue tiny home projects at the Cerone and Cottle VTA sites, located in North and South San Jose, respectively.

San Jose resident Greg rides VTA bus route 73 to his job at a local winery. Last week, the bus never showed.

A light rail train yard and station may soon shelter homeless residents in San Jose. Councilmembers are considering temporary housing sites at two VTA locations—Cerone and Cottle—to increase the interim housing stock, as homelessness in the city continues to climb.

Jose Landin has co-owned Mexico Bakery since 2003, and the chain has become a downtown San Jose staple. But this location and several others could all be gone soon.

"It's about accepting responsibility and VTA will never admit that they did something wrong," said one grieving father.

VTA, BART, Caltrain and other local transit agencies are being advised on linking their services. Russell Hancock, CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, describes the current system as ”a crazy Christmas tree.”

Assemblymember Marc Berman announced he is pulling a bill that would eliminate VTA’s board of directors, and instead requesting a state audit. VTA chair Chappie Jones supports the move.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has filed a lawsuit to acquire a downtown San Jose parcel that is currently retail and housing. It is allegedly needed to expand BART operations.

San Jose's Charcot Avenue extension project has been halted after the Valley Transportation Agency pulled its funding. The pause comes after outrage from residents over the controversial project.

The Federal Transit Administration sent a letter to Valley Transit Authority announcing that the BART expansion project has been approved for $2 billion in expedited funds.