The struggling Bay Area economy received a big boost thanks to the BART Board, whose historic vote on December 10, 2009, means BART customers will finally have a swift, world-class train-to-plane connection between the Coliseum BART Station and the Oakland Airport.
After two decades of planning and debate, the Board of Directors voted seven to one to award California based Flatiron/Parsons Joint Venture the contract to design and build the 3.2-mile automated people mover (APM). The BART Board also voted to award Doppelmayr Cable Car, Inc. the contract to operate and maintain the connector once built.
The $492 million project, which will use $70 million in federal stimulus money, is expected to create up to 5,000 direct and indirect jobs during the three and a half year construction phase, which should begin in mid-2010. The project-labor agreement that accompanies this project specifically states 25% of the work will go to Oakland residents.
The total cost of the project is $492 million – or $60 million less than the $552 million BART estimated in April 2009. A competitive bidding environment led to lower than projected costs.
For a video animation showing what the automated people mover will look like, visit BARTtv.
from the Business Outreach Committee Newsletter, Jan 2010, Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority