Alameda County Tax Measure Launch Assistance for the Port of Oakland-BART People Mover System

A transit link between the Oakland International Airport, Oakland, California and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Oakland Coliseum station has been repeatedly studied by various consultants since 1970, but has never materialized because of excessively expensive solutions. The previous cost estimate for this project ($198.6 million-escalated to 1998 dollars) was considered unacceptable to Alameda County politicians and voters. Subsequently, the Port of Oakland and BART, with assistance from Jakes Associates, Inc., created an innovative approach to reduce the cost of implementation, which was necessary for the local Alameda County Tax Measure to pass. By exercising very innovative concepts, the involved parties reduced the original estimate to $129.9 million, which represents a $68.7 million or 35% savings. This goal has been achieved by applying an estimating methodology based on site specific solutions and drawing extensively on close interaction with candidate suppliers of innovative, emerging technologies. The primary objective of this effort was to achieve project goals in a much more creative and cost efficient way than for similar airport People Mover projects (such as the neighboring San Francisco International Airport). The costing model was adjusted for the complex structural interface with the BART station and the planned airport terminal (a six story parking structure in front of the terminal), and right-of-way costs were emphasized to reflect an achievable cost for a "type" of system rather than a specific supplier.