Interstate 880 HOV Lane Widening Project
 |
The Project
This project will add over 4 miles of HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle, or carpool) lane in each direction of I-880 in Santa Clara County, between State Route 237 in the City of Milpitas and US 101 in the City of San Jose. The project will fill an existing HOV lane gap by extending the HOV system that connects northern Santa Clara County to Alameda County, a distance of about 20 miles.
The Need
The Interstate-880 corridor is a significant commute route for commuters traveling to and from the Silicon Valley, from the Tri Valley Area and Central Valley in the north, and the San Jose area to the south. Traffic has continued to increase along this route, primarily in the “Golden Triangle” area bounded by SR 237, Route 101, and I-880
Benefits
The project will increase highway capacity, reduce congestion, enhance safety, and improve connectivity between I-880 and US-101, two critical elements of Santa Clara County’s transportation network
Partnership
This project is developed through a partnership between the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Project sponsors include local and state agencies.
Project Funding
The total project cost is roughly $70 million and is made up of $50 million from State’s Corridor Mobility Improvement Account (CMIA) Funds and $20 million from VTA Local Program Reserve Funds
Project Schedule
Start Construction: Spring 2012
Finish Construction: Summer 2013
Summary
The I-880 Widening Project is necessary to close the HOV lane gap between SR 237 and US 101. HOV lanes have been shown to be effective in reducing travel times during peak commute hours.