The Santa Clara City Council on Oct. 7 unanimously approved a revision to the West Portal construction traffic management plan for VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase 2 project, allowing contractors to work up to 24 hours a day on critical early‑works activities and to use Sundays for limited maintenance tasks.

VTA Chief Mega Projects Officer Tom McGuire told the council the West Portal early‑works package is the project’s first major construction effort; he called BART Silicon Valley Phase 2 “the largest public works project in the history of Santa Clara County,” and said keeping the launch shaft and associated work on schedule is critical to later tunneling contracts.

The change replaces a previously approved 22‑hour permitting window (6 a.m.–4 a.m., Monday–Saturday) for key concrete and slurry‑wall operations with a fully 24‑hour, six‑day schedule and limited Sunday activity for maintenance (no Sunday truck hauling unless separately approved). VTA said the additional hours let contractors complete deep, reinforced slurry‑wall panels within the time limits required by the construction method and thereby avoid rework that would increase costs and delay the project.

Why it matters: Phase 2 will extend BART about six miles from Berryessa to a new Santa Clara terminal and includes a five‑mile tunnel, four stations and a new rail yard. VTA presented the council with a program budget of about $12.7 billion and said the Federal Transit Administration had committed $5.1 billion. VTA said the program still faces a funding gap and is pursuing cost‑savings and additional grants while keeping early construction moving.

What council heard: VTA explained early works at the West Portal began in mid‑2024 and will continue into 2027. Construction director Sarah Wilson said crews began night work in June 2025 and that VTA has monitored noise, vibration and dust; she told the council staff had received one lighting complaint since night work began and otherwise “0 noise complaints” related to the night shifts after mitigation was added.

Council members pressed VTA on truck traffic and “muck” (excavated material) haul routes. Staff said the early‑works hauling plan routes most trucks (up to 75% for weekdays) from the site to Newhall Drive and Coleman Avenue to 880, with up to 25% routed via Brokaw Road; weekend traffic would rely more heavily on the Newhall access. VTA told the council the later tunneling phase will require a separate construction traffic plan and additional environmental review as needed.

VTA also briefed the council on project risk and funding: the agency said it is pursuing level‑1/2/3 cost‑reduction strategies, including station design refinements and changes to the Newhall Yard build‑out, while preparing for the Federal Transit Administration’s final ‘‘full funding grant agreement.’’

Council action and context: After questions from council members about truck counts and dewatering, the council voted to approve the construction traffic management revision and to authorize minor future CTMP updates by the city manager’s designee. The vote was unanimous among members present.

Background: VTA officials described the West Portal work as an early‑works package that builds the TBM (tunnel boring machine) launch structure, a temporary precast segment plant and material storage so tunneling can begin when the larger tunneling contract is selected. VTA said the project’s early‑works schedule and longer‑term procurement approach aim to reduce overall risk to the program and preserve federal funding eligibility.

What’s next: VTA will continue outreach to adjacent businesses and residents and return to the council if the CTMP needs material changes. The agency said it will monitor community complaints and adjust mitigation measures—including sound curtains, truck wheel washes and street sweeping—if conditions warrant.

Sources: Presentation and answers to council questions by Tom McGuire (VTA chief mega projects officer), Sarah Wilson (VTA construction director) and Erica Roques (VTA external affairs).