By Lynda Myer
With US$6.9bn (£5.5bn) value the first construction contract on the Bay Area Rapid Transit Silicon Valley extension project has been granted to the Kiewit Shea Traylor joint venture.
For the first time, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) board of directors has shown the green light in a series of construction contracts for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Silicon Valley Phase II (BSVII) scheme.
Known as the contract package two (CP2), the first package for the tunnel and track work is a progressive design-build contract worth US$235M (£189M) and it forms the largest of four packages. It includes building the majority of the infrastructure that will enable the remaining contracts to be successfully delivered.
The responsibility of delivering this project will be up to Kiewit Shea Traylor (KST), a joint venture between Kiewit Infrastructure West, JF Shea Construction, and Traylor Brothers, supported by Kiewit Engineering Group and Arup.
The general engineering consultant contract on the scheme has been handed to Mott MacDonald/PGH Wong by VTA in 2019, while it then started early contractor engagement in September 2020.
CP2 will be carried out in stages. Activities in the first stage will include investigation of innovations, engineering and design, open-book cost estimates, and the work schedule. These works are expected to take place from May 2022 through approximately December 2023.
Stage one is due to set the stage for major construction, or stage two, which includes excavating the tunnel beneath downtown San Jose, whereas three other contracts to be considered in the future are going to be for the systems, stations and the Santa Clara station and maintenance yard.
As a 9.7km, four-station extension, VTA’s BSVII project will bring BART service from Berryessa/North San José through downtown San José to the City of Santa Clara.
