Why the Warm Springs BART station is necessary
By Sahil Saxena | Staff Writer
As the Bay Area is a huge job marketplace in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, it brings in large amounts of people every year, causing increased transportation difficulties. BART, the Bay Area’s public transit and subway system, currently only connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in the northern San Mateo County. The nearest active station in the south is in central Fremont right now, and a Warm Springs station under construction is sparking controversy because many believe the station will cause traffic congestion and noise disturbances. However, the BART station in Warm Springs will facilitate transportation to and from the South Bay and commercialize the area by giving the local residents more public services.
The countless jobs and houses in areas from south Fremont to south San Jose require a BART station in Warm Springs. The new station will be much closer to many residents who need to commute north from south Fremont and Milpitas. Right now, people can only drive or take the bus; with a BART station closer by, they can reach the rest of the Bay Area, saving lots of time and hassle. For those traveling to the South Bay, including the abundance of Silicon Valley workers, a station 5.4 miles south of the current one in central Fremont makes a huge difference. According to BART, more connections including VTA Light Rail, a transportation service throughout South Bay, will be available directly from the Warm Springs BART station. These connections will help commuters reach their destinations south of Fremont more efficiently. At a time where people are flooding in to increase traffic in the Bay Area, a new station will bring ease to travelers greatly.
Some people believe that the new BART station in Warm Springs will cause a lot of disturbance in the neighborhood. However, the City of Fremont has acknowledged that although the BART is close to many houses, traffic will not being going through those areas. People who need to travel more than two or three miles to get to the station will arrive from major roads that do not interfere with the houses.
Additionally, the Warm Springs BART station will help urbanize the lands around it so that there are more jobs and more facilities for residents. According to San Jose Mercury News reporter Chris De Benedetti, the Warm Springs BART station is part of the 850 acre Innovation Center, which will create 12,000 jobs in shopping and entertainment, dining, hotel and convention facilities, and parks. This new commercialized area will not only make the lives of local residents more fun with many new public facilities but will also boost the city’s economy by adding jobs and businesses.
Bringing BART to south Fremont will benefit the local residents in the Warm Springs area and people all throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The new station will make transportation to and from the South Bay more efficient and urbanize empty land to bring in additional jobs and businesses. With this new BART station, it definitely feels like the Bay Area isn’t so large anymore.
