It seemed like it would never happen but finally, it looks like BART to San Jose is on the way to becoming a true story.
Valley Transportation Agency leaders are breaking ground Thursday in Milpitas for what's known officially as the Freight Rail Relocation Project. The $36 million project is the fist and long-awaited step to clear the route and make way for the BART extension into the South Bay.
Thursday's groundbreaking ceremony includes the familiar image of city leaders in hard hats standing side-by-side, smiling, holding shovels and ready to cut a red ribbon.
As part of the construction, crews will relocate utilities and existing Union Pacific Railroad freight rail tracks to a parallel location within the eight-mile railroad right-of-way. The future mass transit system will then be built along side the newly relocated freight line.