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Published on 07/21/1997 All articles from this issue

Light rail to connect downtowns: MV & SJ

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

Quick Facts:

The first phase of construction began last month on the Tasman West Light Rail, which will connect Mountain View to downtown San Jose.

The $325 million project will extend the existing 21-mile Guadalupe Light Rail Line 7.6 miles from the terminus near Great America in Santa Clara to the downtown Mountain View CalTrain Station. The light rail will run along the existing traffic, alongside the CalTrain tracks, and will stop at 12 new stations, including one in downtown Mountain View and one at Evelyn Avenue.

At the downtown station, a multi-modal connection will be provided between light rail, VTA buses and CalTrain, the commuter train service.

The Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA), the project owner and operator, expects the extension to open in the year 2000.

Gail Collins, a VTA spokesperson, said the light rail will be beneficial to both businesses and residents in Mountain View by making the commute to and from the area easier. She said the light rail will operate much like a bus, making several stops.

"The line is an alternative to get someplace quickly without having to drive your car," Collins said, who lives in Mountain View and plans to commute to San Jose on the light rail.

During the first phase of construction, crews will be removing and relocating trees along the tracks from Fair Oaks Expressway in Sunnyvale to Central Expressway in Mountain View.

Collins said residents can expect some traffic delays and controls intermittently throughout the project. She said the community office will notify residents of any traffic disruptions with advance construction schedules.

Collins said the completed project will include the addition of an extra lane on Central Expressway in Mountain View to control traffic detained at the light rail crossing and a pedestrian underpass bridge at the Evelyn Avenue station.

The line will run every 10 minutes from 5:45 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. and every 30 minutes after that until midnight. Collins said the VTA plans to keep the light rail operating 24 hours in the future. The estimated running time between downtown Mountain View and Santa Clara will be 20 minutes, she said.

The Tasman Project is being funded by the Federal government, the State and local taxes.

For more information on the Tasman West Project call (408) 321-7575.