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Free Bus Bridge Available During Fridays Light Rail Shutdown

San Jose, Calif. – The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) today announced the replacement of badly-worn curved track in downtown San Jose will require a 60-hour shutdown of light rail service. The shutdown will begin at 1 p.m. on Friday, August 22 and will end before the start of the Monday morning commute.

The track being replaced is at the intersection of First and Devine streets and is the third location downtown where track has been replaced this year. The work at this intersection, however, is more extensive than at the first two, making it necessary to start the work Friday afternoon in order to not risk impacting the Monday morning commute.

An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people use VTA Light Rail in the downtown San Jose area during a typical weekday afternoon commute, although Friday ridership is typically lighter. VTA will offer impacted riders free substitute bus bridge service, with buses serving each affected stations. (Note: The free fare applies to the bus bridge service only). 

Passengers on northbound trains will board the bus bridge when their train reaches the Convention Center Station, while southbound passengers will transfer to the bus bridge when they reach the Civic Center Station.

The four other affected stations include Japantown/Ayer, St. James, Santa Clara and San Antonio. Passengers who normally board or exit light rail at these stations will also need to use the free bus bridge service. 

VTA will be adding 17 extra buses downtown to move passengers between the closed stations. During peak commute hours Friday afternoon, VTA will include a three-bus contingent of its larger, 60-foot articulated buses as part of the bus bridge service.

VTA will also have staff in brightly-colored safety vests at each affected platform to help passengers who have questions. In addition, VTA Customer Service representatives are ready to help trip plan and answer questions about transit alternatives. The main VTA Customer Service number is (408) 321-2300.

VTA is also suggesting light rail commuters consider other equally eco-friendly transit options for Friday, August 22. A combined Caltrans/VTA highway project, for example, recently added carpool lanes on State Route 87, while an enhanced bike trail along the Guadalupe River is now open. In addition, there are many VTA bus routes that serve the downtown San Jose area.

More information about the Rail Rehabilitation Project can be obtained by visiting the Service/Construction Notice section of www.vta.org

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About VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; and countywide transportation planning. As such, VTA is both an accessible transit provider and multi-modal transportation planning organization involved with transit, highways and roadways, bikeways and pedestrian facilities.

For more information about VTA services, call VTA Customer Service at (408) 321-2300, (408) 321-2330 (TDD only). Or, log on to www.vta.org.