Warm Springs Extension FAQ

What is the Warm Springs Extension Project?

The Warm Springs Extension Project (WSX) is a 5.4-mile BART extension south from the Fremont BART Station into the Warm Springs District of Fremont. The project has been split into two construction contracts, the Fremont Central Park Subway Construction Contract (the Subway) and the Line, Track, Station and Systems Contract (the Line or LTSS). The Subway will be constructed from just south of Walnut Avenue through Fremont Central Park. The Line contract, which will be design-build, will include the final design and construction of the Warm Springs Station, the above ground trackway, the tie-in at the Fremont Station and the transit systems (traction power, electrification, train control, communications) for the entire extension.

Where are the tracks underground, at-grade or elevated?

The trackway will be on retained fill through the south end of the Fremont station parking lot and cross over Walnut Avenue on a new overpass structure. The trackway will be on embankment once again south of Walnut Avenue and transition to subway just north of Stevenson Boulevard. The trackway will be in subway beneath Fremont Central Park and emerge just east of the UPRR track on the east edge of the park. Two above-ground ventilation structures will be constructed within the park to house emergency ventilation equipment associated with the subway. Once through Central Park, the trackway will then transition back to grade and run essentially parallel to the UPRR track over Paseo Padre Parkway on a new overpass structure, under Washington Boulevard, under Auto Mall Parkway and finally over South Grimmer Boulevard on a new overpass structure into the Warm Springs station site. For a map illustration visit www.bart.gov/wsx.

How will the project affect Fremont Central Park?

The BART subway will be constructed by means of cut and cover construction methods. Subway construction will involve the relocation of certain Fremont Central Park facilities (dog park, basketball courts, parking). The subway contractor will construct replacement Central Park facilities before taking the existing facilities out of service. The replacement dog park, basketball courts, and associated parking will be constructed in the area between the softball complex and the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter, just off of Stevenson Boulevard. The tennis center parking lot will be expanded as well to offset the loss of public parking during subway construction. Construction of the subway itself will include an extensive ground treatment program and a temporary cofferdam across the eastern portion of Lake Elizabeth. The cofferdam, which will allow the de-watering of the eastern lobe of the lake during subway construction, will also serve to maintain continuity of the walking path around the lake during construction. Other key pedestrian pathways will also be maintained, albeit occasionally detoured, during subway construction. In addition to the underground portion of the subway, two ventilation structures will be constructed. These ventilation structures, one located near the softball four-plex and the other south of Lake Elizabeth, will receive landscape planting treatments consistent with their surroundings to reduce their visual impacts. Additional public parking will be provided near the northern ventilation structure as part of the project. Despite being the site of a major construction project for approximately three and a half years, the park will remain open and all facilities will be maintained for public use during construction.

What features will be included in the new dog park?

The new dog park will be slightly larger than the existing dog park and will include separate areas for large and small dogs. The dog park will have perimeter walkways, benches, water fountains with pet bowls and lighting for evening use.

How does the WSX relate to the City of Fremont’s Washington Boulevard and Paseo Padre Parkway Grade Separation (the Grade Separation) Project?

The City’s Grade Separation project will separate automobile, bicycle and pedestrian traffic from the active UPRR railroad track and eliminate multiple grade crossings by building a vehicular overpass on Washington Boulevard and a vehicular underpass at Paseo Padre Parkway. The Grade Separation project will also relocate a portion of the active UPRR track through the project area. The Grade Separation project has been carefully planned by the City and BART to accommodate the WSX project as well. The Grade Separation project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2009. For more information on this project, visit www.fremontgradesep.com.

Will the UPRR track be realigned again by the WSX project?

Just to the east of Fremont Central Park and north of Paseo Padre Parkway the UPRR track has been positioned by the City’s Grade Separation project into a temporary alignment to facilitate construction of the WSX subway. During Subway contract construction the UPRR track will be shifted once again, this time by BART, into its final position over the subway.

Where will the Warm Springs Station be located and what will it look like?

The Warm Springs Station will be located on Warm Springs Boulevard, between Grimmer Boulevard and Warm Springs Court. The station will feature 34 acres of bus intermodal, passenger drop off areas, automobile and bicycle parking plus pedestrian and bicycle pathways. The trackway and the station’s center platform will be at-grade and the concourse will be located above. BART patrons will enter the station’s concourse via a pedestrian overpass and then, after passing through the fare gates, descend to the platform level below. Vertical circulation elements will include stairs, escalators and elevators.

Where will the future Irvington Station be located, what will it look like and when will it happen?

The future Irvington Station has been planned to be located just south of Washington Boulevard along Osgood Road. This future station has been cleared environmentally as part of the WSX project as an “Optional” station pending funding by the City of Fremont. Once sufficient funding has been identified the station is intended to be added on an “in-fill” basis to an operating WSX extension. The Irvington Station has been planned to be a side platform station with the trackway level at-grade and the concourse level situated above. Station access would be from pedestrian overpasses built over Osgood Road and the UPRR track. Following identification of funding by the City and execution of the necessary agreements with BART, the station may be designed and added shortly after WSX operation begins.

How will Fremont Station be affected by WSX project construction?

During construction of the WSX trackway at the south end of the Fremont Station parking lot, several hundred parking spaces will be temporarily unavailable to the public. During this period, which may occur in 2011-2013 and last approximately a year, BART intends to provide an attended parking program within the Fremont Station parking lot sufficient to make up for this lost parking supply. A majority of the impacted parking spaces will be returned to service following construction of the WSX trackway embankment.

How will traffic be affected at Walnut Avenue, Stevenson Boulevard and South Grimmer Boulevard?

Traffic on these streets will be temporarily impacted by construction of BART overpass structures in the case of Walnut Avenue and South Grimmer Boulevard and the BART subway in the case of Stevenson Boulevard. Further details will be provided when available, along with proper notice to the public in each case.

Last Updated: November 4, 2009