San Jose’s BART Moment Has Arrived

TAYLOR LAMBERT January 13, 2026

San Jose is officially digging into its future. And this time, it’s not just talk.

Construction crews are now carving out a launch shaft near the SJC airport to prepare for a tunnel boring machine about the length of a football field. Once it starts moving, it will dig a tunnel around 130 feet underground and head straight beneath downtown San Jose.

Why does this matter? Because after nearly thirty years of plans and delays, BART is finally happening in San Jose in a real, physical way. Dirt is moving. This is no longer just a long-discussed idea.

The project is a six-mile extension connecting Berryessa to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara, with several underground stations, including one near Diridon. Most of it will run deep underground, which helps limit surface disruption but still means years of construction.

And yes, there’s tension. This is one of the most expensive transit projects in the country, and BART and VTA have already clashed over costs and design choices.

For downtown, the next few years will bring construction headaches, but also long-term hope for better transit access and more activity. For commuters, the payoff could be huge. A direct BART connection to downtown has been talked about since the 1990s, and seeing it finally take shape feels different.

So is San Jose finally stepping into its role as a major Bay Area transit hub, or are we burying billions underground and hoping for the best?

Either way, the digging has started. Let me know what you think!