The new Warm Springs Extension alignment will parallel portions of the Union Pacific (UP) railroad corridor, which contains the former Western Pacific (WP) and Southern Pacific (SP) railroad tracks, and Interstates 680 and 880 in southern Alameda County.
The initial segment will begin on an embankment at the southern end of the existing elevated Fremont BART Station, pass over Walnut Avenue on an aerial structure, and descend into a cut-and-cover subway north of Stevenson Boulevard. The alignment will continue southward in a subway under Fremont Central Park and the eastern arm of Lake Elizabeth, and surface to at-grade between the former WP and SP alignments north of Paseo Padre Parkway.
Paseo Padre Parkway is currently being reconfigured as a vehicular underpass as part of the City of Fremont's Grade Separations Project. Read more on Fremont Grade Separations Project. The alignment will pass over Paseo Padre Parkway on a bridge structure, and continue southward at-grade, passing under a grade-separated Washington Boulevard. Additionally, Washington Boulevard will be reconfigured as a vehicular overpass as part of the City's grade separation project. From Washington Boulevard, the alignment will continue at-grade along the former WP alignment south to a terminus station at Warm Springs and South Grimmer Boulevards in the Warm Springs District.
The distance from the Fremont station to the Irvington station is 2.4 miles. The distance from the Irvington station to the Warm Springs station is 2.23 miles. The remainder of the extension, approximately .77 miles, includes tail track for maintenance.
In 2007, BART devised an implementation strategy whereby the project would be constructed via two large contracts: The Fremont Central Park Subway Contract and the Line, Track, Station and Systems Contract. This approach is intended to minimize overall escalation costs and most appropriately deal with the special needs associated with the underground portion of the project in Fremont Central Park.
Fremont Central Park Subway Construction Contract (Subway) – This contract will construct the trackway embankment south of Walnut Avenue and the BART subway from just north of Stevenson Boulevard, through Fremont Central Park, including a portion of Lake Elizabeth, and beneath the UPRR freight track to just north of Paseo Padre Parkway. The contract includes construction of two ventilation structures and relocation of a number of amenities within Fremont Central Park, including the Dog Park, Basketball Courts, and related parking. Construction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2009 and last for approximately three and a half years.
Line, Track, Station and Systems Contract (LTSS) – This contract, which will be a design-build contract where the contractor will perform final design as well as construct the project, will complete the remaining parts of the project including could the trackway, systems, tie-in at Fremont Station, and the new Warm Springs Station. Construction is expected to begin in 2010 and last approximately four years.
BART Overpass – This City of Fremont project, which is presently under construction, will eliminate six railroad grade crossings, relocate interfering utilities and make the railroad corridor to the southeast of Fremont Central Park compatible with the WSX project alignment. This project will also construct a BART Overpass structure at Paseo Padre Parkway, by agreement with BART, so as to avoid future disruption to the public during WSX construction.
Last Updated: November 4, 2009
