Proposal to expand BART into San Jose

SAN JOSE (KTVU) - City leaders in San Jose are looking at a way to make life easier for commuters as more tech companies are expanding in the South Bay.

The proposal would raise the local sales tax to help pay for public transit improvements and road repairs.

One of the proposed projects would extend BART to San Jose.

The Berryessa BART station currently under construction is expected to be done ahead of schedule and under budget in 2017.

San Jose city planners want to help fund phase two of the project which would add four more stations, and loop BART through east San Jose, downtown and near the airport in Santa Clara.

On Tuesday afternoon the council will decide whether to recommend putting a countywide measure on the November ballot which would increase the sales tax a half percent, bringing it up to 9.25 percent.

The sales tax measure would raise $6 billion over 30 years for transportation, and a portion would go to BART in the Silicon Valley.

But it would also go to fixing potholes, repairing neglected roads, and building and upgrading highway interchanges.

This is all in an effort to relieve congestion in areas where there is job growth.

If the city council approves the proposed recommendation, it then goes to the Valley Transportation Authority and that agency would put it on the ballot.