OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS) -- Early Wednesday morning, Oakland's city council did an about-face on plans to reject a BART extension from the Coliseum station to the Oakland Airport.
KCBS’ Bob Melrose Reports
The three-mile extension to the airport has been a point of contention for a while. The voter-approved project has grown from $130 million to over $500 million.
The resolution was designed to put Oakland officially on record opposing the connector, but what the council did at around 1 a.m. Wednesday, was approve an amended resolution supporting the extension, provided there was an additional stop created somewhere between the Coliseum and the airport.
BART Spokesman Jim Allison says the transit system is glad the council is on board.
”I think there was a realization that there are companies and people out there that are hungry for work, and that this is something that will put people to work almost immediately, beginning as soon as January,” said Allison. “And it will benefit the community for decades to come.”
Councilman Larry Reid, whose district this would be built in, says the connector is needed to keep Oakland airport competitive with others in the region.
"I think we as a city have some sense of responsibility as well, since it is in a redevelopment area, that we need to step up to the plate and partner with BART in an effort to put that one or two stops in," said Reid.
There are a number of hotels in the Hegenberger corridor that could benefit from an additional stop. Opponents of the extension say the money should go to other transportation needs.
Title picture courtesy CBS5.
(MGO)
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