BART riders may be able to take the train all the way to Berryessa by as early as 2018, thanks to a Federal Transit Administration recommendation that the project receive $130 million in federal funds. If the funds come through, construction on the extension of the line from the Warm Springs BART station in Fremont to Berryessa could begin as early as 2012. “This is terrific news for San Jose and the entire Bay Area,” Mayor Chuck Reed said. “Completing the rail link around the bay is long overdue.”
Celebrations may be premature, however. The grant is part of a larger $128 billion transportation budget that President Obama proposed yesterday as part of his overall budget. Republicans in Congress are already targeting the President’s plans to expand public transportation throughout the country. “We’re not a fan of high-speed rail at all,” announced House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), and his opposition is expected to extend to local rail projects as well.
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