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One year into construction, the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector Project (EBRC) continues to make progress, changing the landscape in East San Jose and shaping the future of a generation that will embrace and rely on public transportation. The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), as the project owner, has the responsibility to complete its construction and deliver it to the public, City of San Jose, and County of Santa Clara.
The 2.4-mile light rail extension is being constructed along Capitol Avenue south of existing Alum Rock Station, and along Capitol Expressway between Capitol Avenue and Eastridge Loop Road. It will include two new VTA stations, one at Story Road and one by the Eastridge Transit Center. The $437M construction project received its Notice to Proceed in April 2024 and is anticipated to be complete in 2027. The prime contractor, MCM-Railworks Joint Venture, brings complimentary expertise with MCM in charge of the civil and elevated guideway construction and Railworks building the light rail system components.
As long-time residents know, this project is a part of Measure A approved by voters in 2000. Since then, local advocates and elected officials have worked diligently to bring this vision to life.
Delivering a project of this scale requires technical expertise, careful planning, and ongoing coordination, particularly because the future light rail alignment runs through a densely populated area. Capitol Expressway is one of Santa Clara County’s key corridors, with high volumes of both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The EBRC Project team is committed to building the elevated guideway (bridge) with a strong focus on safety and environmental stewardship.
Building the bridge and the catenary systems that will power VTA’s trains is quite interesting, and it involves early-phase work to facilitate a shift in traffic alignment in various locations in order to build the bridge in the median. So far, the field crews have completed much of the early-phase work such as roadway widening, street lighting, underground drainage and sewer relocations; traffic realignments have been implemented and construction is underway for full bridge structures. The structural elements involve shoring, piling, footing, column , falsework, stem and soffit, and building the bridge deck. Once the structure is built, the light rail system components to operate the trains will follow.
VTA’s Community Outreach and Engagement is executing a robust strategy to ensure that residents and homeowners, businesses, schools, and other stakeholders are informed of construction activities and potential impacts. The public receives regular updates through newsletters, construction notices, door-to-door outreach, community meetings, and public events. Stakeholders are welcome to visit the on-site Community Outreach Office trailer, or to contact staff via email at community.outreach@vta.org, or by phone at (408) 321-7575.
Additionally, stakeholders can visit the project’s website at: Eastridge to BART Regional Connector – EBRC | VTA and subscribe to EBRC’s monthly email. Bilingual staff are available, and most materials are translated into several languages —reflecting VTA’s commitment to serving a diverse community. The EBRC Project is also proud to support small and medium-sized businesses and provide employment to hundreds of construction workers and tradespeople.
“We are proud to work on a project that has purpose, one that contributes to a more connected, efficient, and sustainable region. Each time one of us drives through the expressway corridor, especially on days when activity is high, we’re reminded not just of the scale of this project but also of the responsibility we carry in delivering it.”-The EBRC Project Team
