Warm Springs Extension Project

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New! Work Activity Notification for Soil Investigations Along WSX Project Corridor July 2008. Click here for details.

Project Background

Photo Simulation of Warm Springs Station (Click image to enlarge.)

In 1991, BART prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Warm Springs Extension Project (WSX) that analyzed a series of alternatives for extending the BART system to the Warm Springs district of Fremont. In 1992, the BART Board of Directors certified the Final EIR and adopted a project for the WSX; however, to date the project has not been constructed because sufficient funds have not been available.

For a complete chronology of the Warm Springs Extension project click here.

Project Description

Photo Simulation of Irvington Station (Click image to enlarge.)

The Warm Springs Extension will add 5.4-miles of new tracks from the existing Fremont Station south to a new station in the Warm Springs District of the City of Fremont, with an optional station to be located approximately midway, in the Irvington District. The optional Irvington Station is dependent upon future funding through the City of Fremont and may be added at a later date.

The project alignment will cross over Walnut Avenue; under Stevenson Boulevard, Fremont Central Park and the Union Pacific Railroad track in a subway; over Paseo Padre Parkway; under Washington Boulevard; under Auto Mall Parkway; and over South Grimmer Boulevard. Click here to see an image and read a detailed description of the Warm Springs Extension Alignment.

The Warm Springs Station will feature an at-grade island platform with an overhead concourse, intermodal access to VTA and Alameda - Contra Costa (AC) Transit buses, as well as taxi and "kiss and ride" passenger drop off areas, all via Warm Springs Boulevard. In addition, the new station will provide approximately 2,000 parking spaces. View Station Conceptual Design (1.5 MB)

As with all BART stations, the Warm Springs Station will be fully accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists, and will include bike lockers, elevators and escalators, Braille signs and a tactile sight path to aid riders with disabilities.

Program Purpose and Benefits

When the extension was originally proposed in 1991, congestion on I-880, the major regional travel corridor linking Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, was already severe. Since then, traffic congestion has escalated and its volume has become unacceptable.

Transportation is critical for people living and working in the southern Alameda County and northern Santa Clara County portions of the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2000, it was estimated that there were approximately 400,000 weekday automobile trips between the East Bay and Santa Clara County. By 2025, this number is expected to exceed 500,000 vehicle trips (MTC). The purpose of the Warm Springs Extension is to reduce overall traffic congestion and improve the regional transit network by shortening the travel distance for connecting transit services to and from points to the south. The extension will also reduce transit travel times and improve reliability. In addition, the extension will bring other benefits to the surrounding communities through BART's commitment to environmental quality and land use.

Environmental Quality: As patrons transfer from auto travel to transit travel, there is a corresponding reduction in the number of automobile miles traveled, resulting in conservation of non-renewable energy. The extension will promote reduction of air-polluting auto trips and support regional plans to meet state and federal air quality standards.

Land Use: The extension responds to BART's System Expansion Criteria by demonstrating a commitment to transit-supportive growth and development, which is designed to maximize ridership by supporting smart, efficient, and desirable growth patterns. The City of Fremont is the lead agency for developing the City's future land use and redevelopment goals around the Warm Springs Station. BART will continue to support the City in its efforts to encourage transit-oriented development around both the Warm Springs and optional Irvington Stations.

Partners and Funding

The total project budget for the Warm Springs Extension is approximately $890 million dollars. The various funding partners and their share in the total project are as follows:

• $220.4 million from the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (ACTIA), Measure B Tier 1
• $100.4 million from the State Traffic Congestion Relief Program
• $176 million from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Regional Measure 2 Bridge Toll
• $118 million from the MTC, Regional Measure 1 Bridge Tolls
• $69 million from the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
• $2.2 million from the Alameda County CMA
• $40 million from MTC Proposition 1B - 50% BART (Revenue Based), 50% MTC(Population Based)
• $86 million Proposition 1B State & Local Partnership Program (SLPP)
• $24 million BART Agency Contribution
• $54 million SFO Extension Surplus Revenue

System Objectives

The main objectives of the Warm Springs Extension project are to:

• Improve public transportation service to increase mobility
• Generate additional transit ridership
• Reduce overall traffic congestion
• Maximize use of public transportation, particularly during peak-commute periods
• Decrease transit travel times and improve reliability
• Improve the regional transit network
• Provide inter-modal transit hubs where rail, bus, automobile, bicycle and pedestrian links meet
• Facilitate opportunities for future transit-oriented development
• Support future rapid transit extensions into Santa Clara County

Project Schedule

The current project schedule, which is dependent upon funding availability, is as follows:

• First phase of preliminary engineering began in December 2002
• CEQA Environmental phase completed in June 2003
• Second phase of preliminary engineering began October 2003
• NEPA Environmental phase completed 2006
• Subway contract final design began July 2007
• Subway construction to begin mid-2009¹
• Line, Track, Station, and Systems final design and construction to begin early 2010¹
• Commencement of revenue service June 2014¹

¹Funding Permitting

Projected Growth

The Warm Springs Extension will result in an increase in transit trips, particularly those destined for, originating in, or passing through southern Alameda County. The extension will increase transit ridership by 4,700 daily trips upon opening and 7,200 daily trips by 2025. The optional Irvington Station would provide an increase of 5,700 and 9,100 daily trips by 2025. This increase in transit trips indicates a shift in use from automobiles to transit.

Other Related Projects

Washington Boulevard and Paseo Padre Parkway Railroad Grade Separation Project
For more information on this project please visit: www.fremontgradesep.com

Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor Project
For more information on this project please visit: www.svrtc-vta.org 

Draft Pre-Bid Documents
Draft Pre-Bid documents for the BART Warm Springs Extension Project are available for information purposes only. To request a copy of the tentative and preliminary documents on CD, click here or call the project information line at 510.476.3900.