$340M Available For South Bay Transportation Projects After Legal Battle Ends
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – A sum of $340 million is available for infrastructure projects in Santa Clara County after a two-year lawsuit challenging voter-approved Measure B failed, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority announced Thursday.
Cheriel Jensen of Saratoga filed the lawsuit in January 2017, claiming VTA had used misleading language for the sales tax and did not respond to her public records request. She appealed and lost the case on Jan. 24, 2019.
Mayor Sam Liccardo called the lawsuit "frivolous" in a statement on Thursday and said infrastructure projects could now access the much-needed funding after being stalled. Over 70 percent of voters approved the measure in November 2016.
"Today, we're one step closer to building the 21st century transportation infrastructure that our residents deserve," he said in a news release. "For those of us who invested months of our lives to pass Measure B, this day is long overdue."
Measure B is expected to create a total of $6.3 billion.
The San Jose BART extension is planned to receive the largest portion of the funds as they continue accruing, at $1.5 billion, with local streets and roads receiving $1.2 billion.
The money will also go toward Caltrain improvements, county expressways, highway interchanges, the area of state Highway 85 and transit operations.
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