On behalf of the Campus Community Association, I am writing to support Councilmember Sam Liccardo's proposal to align the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) tunnel to the north of Santa Clara Street, beneath Roosevelt Park and the former San Jose Medical Center site.
When earlier this year the Valley Transportation Authority had informed us that there were technical difficulties in aligning the train directly under Santa Clara Street as had been planned, a series of community meetings were held so that the affected residents and business owners could receive information and review this important issue. Neighbors from the affected neighborhoods, including Naglee Park, participated in this process.
The Campus Community Association, after discussing this matter with our adjoining neighborhoods, took the position that that the tunnel alignment and venting structure should be such as to have the least impact on any existing homes.
The North alignment will provide a minimum of a block between the tunnel and an existing residential neighborhood. We have also been informed by the experts that placing the tunnel underneath the SJMC property will not significantly affect the redesign of the parcel and its' future use. As a community we also agree that tunneling primarily beneath city property (Roosevelt Park and Community Center) and a parcel planned for future redesign and zoned for public use (the former San Jose Medical Center (SJMC) is more realistic and will be more successful than individually addressing the impacts on dozens of private property owners on the south side of Santa Clara Street.
Our downtown is evolving and we urge our City Leadership to keep in mind that our stable and healthy neighborhoods are the foundation for the future of a vital and successful downtown San Jose.
