Rail Stations To Close Thursday Due To Construction

MILPITAS, CA -- Heads up Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority riders. VTA will close light rail stations at the Great Mall, Montague and Cropley to make station and track repairs starting Thursday.

The section of the elevated light rail tracks along the Great Mall Parkway and East Capitol Avenue is targeted for fixes. This job will represent a round-the-clock shutdown scheduled from Jan. 17 at 11 p.m. to Jan. 22 at 2 a.m.

A bus bridge will be provided between the Interstate 880 Milpitas Park and Ride and Hostetter Station for your convenience.

In other VTA news:

The authority wants public input on its new service plan, which will change routes from either decreasing or increasing. The goal is to chip away at a $20 million shortfall in its budget.

As an example, four discontinued express routes will be reviewed:

• Camden & 85 to Palo Alto
• South San Jose to Moffett Park
• Palo Alto to IBM/Bailey Avenue
• South County to Mountain View

Other express routes will see more service.

The first meeting is slated for Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. at the Santa Clara Mission Branch Library at 1098 Lexington St., with the last meeting scheduled for Feb. 19 at the San Jose State University's MLK Library at 150 E. San Fernando St. in San Jose.

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