Silicon Valley BART extension explained
Warm Springs/Silicon Valley BART extension |
System: | BART |
Status: | - revenue service (to Berryessa)
- design and engineering (to Santa Clara)
|
Locale: | southern Alameda County and Santa Clara County |
Stations: | 7 + 2 potential infill |
Routes: | 2 |
Planopen: | (to Santa Clara) |
Open: | - (to Warm Springs)
- (to Berryessa)
|
Depot: | Newhall |
Stock: | Bay Area Rapid Transit rolling stock |
Electrification: | Third rail, 1 kV DC |
Website: | http://www.vta.org/bart/ |
The Silicon Valley BART extension is an ongoing effort to expand the Green and Orange Line service by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) into Santa Clara County via the East Bay from its former terminus at the Fremont station in Alameda County. Planned since at least 1981,[1] the project has seven stations in three sequential phases.[2]
The first phase, known as the Warm Springs Extension, was built by BART at a cost of $790 million, terminating at the new Warm Springs/South Fremont station. Construction began in 2009, and the extension and new station opened in 2017.[3]
The $2.3-billion second phase, known as BART Silicon Valley Phase I or the Berryessa Extension, includes two new stations, Milpitas and Berryessa/North San José. Construction began in 2012,[4] [5] and the extension and its two new stations were inaugurated on June 12, 2020, while service for the public began on the next day.[6] [7] Many credited the former Mayor of San Jose, Ron Gonzales, with bringing this project to fruition.[8]
The $12.2-billion third phase to downtown San Jose, known as BART Silicon Valley Phase II, remains unfunded.[9] [10] Targeted for completion in 2036,[11] it would add three new subway stations south of Berryessa: 28th Street/Little Portugal, Downtown San José, Diridon, and a surface station in Santa Clara. Initial testing and preliminary construction activities began in January 2019.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) built the Berryessa Extension and intends to build the final downtown San Jose extension, but BART operates and maintains the completed portion of the extension and will also do so for the final phase when completed.
Funding
Santa Clara County was originally planned to be part of the BART system, but local governments did not approve. Minor service at Palo Alto near San Mateo County had also been planned originally.
In 2000, Santa Clara County voters approved a 30-year half-cent sales tax increase to fund BART,[12] which took effect in April 2006. To make up for a shortfall in projected federal funding, an increase in the sales tax by 0.125 percent was proposed if additional federal funding were secured.[13] In the process of obtaining the federal funding necessary to build the BART extension, the Federal Transit Administration issued a "Not Recommended" rating in January 2004.[14] The FTA was concerned about the ability of VTA to operate BART and other bus services at the same time. VTA continued to design BART and prepare the required environmental documents.[15]
In 2006, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors placed a half-cent general sales tax increase for unspecified transportation projects along with other county services. It was advocated by supporters of the BART Silicon Valley extension and labor groups.[16] The measure would have funded improvements to local hospitals, clinics, and transportation. On June 6, 2006, voters defeated the measure by a margin of 58% to 42%.[17] In December 2006, the VTA board authorized $135 million in contract amendments to continue engineering work and environmental clearance on the extension,[18] with a proposal to bring a tax increase to operate the BART extension in 2008.[19]
By a two-thirds majority, Santa Clara County voters approved Measure B in November 2008, implementing a 30-year, 1/8-cent local sales tax dedicated solely to funding the operating and maintenance costs associated with the BART Silicon Valley extension. The 2008 Measure B sales tax took effect in July 2012.[20]
The economy worsened in 2009, and the 2000 sales tax was projected to generate $7 billion - short of the originally expected $11 billion. As a consequence, the number of planned stations was reduced. In addition, the line from Berryessa to downtown San Jose was delayed until 2026,[21] [22] [23] [24] pushed back from 2025.[25] [26]
VTA awarded $770 million to Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog in 2011 for the first phase of the Berryessa Extension (Milpitas and Berryessa/North San Jose Stations), and the federal government granted $900 million for the project in 2012. Construction began the same year.[27] It was scheduled to open in 2016.[28] [29]
For phase II, VTA sought funding from the federal New Starts program in 2016.[30] A half-cent 30-year sales tax passed in the 2016 elections, to raise $6.0 to $6.5 billion with up to 25% of this (or $1.6 billion) for BART.[31] VTA also sought $1.5 billion from New Starts, and $750 million from the California Cap and Trade program.[32] [33] [34]
In 2018, VTA was awarded $2.6 billion for the project from the state's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funded by the 2017 gas tax bill.[35] In August 2019, the VTA received $125 million from the FTA under a new accelerated funding program.[36]
$140 million was included in the version of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 passed by the House of Representatives, but was dropped in the Senate.
In August 2024, the FTA made a commitment to grant $5 billion for Phase II. VTA will apply for a Full Funding Grant Agreement from the FTA after covering existing funding gaps.[37]
Phases
The project is broken into three phases.
Phase | Name | Length | Stations | Groundbreaking | Opening | Cost ($ billions) | Ref | |
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1 | Warm Springs (WSX) | 5.4miles | | | | 0.79 | [38] [39]
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2 | Berryessa (SVX Phase 1) | 10miles | | | | 2.3 | |
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3 | Downtown San Jose/ Santa Clara (SVX Phase 2) | 6miles | | 2024 (planned) | 2040 (planned) | 12.2 | [40] [41]
[42] |
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- Notes
Warm Springs extension
The 5.4adj=midNaNadj=mid extension to Warm Springs was constructed by BART south from the existing Fremont station (opened in 1972) to the new Warm Springs/South Fremont station; revenue service began in March 2017.[43] The original estimate was $890 million,[44] but the cost of the subway segment under Lake Elizabeth was reduced by 45% from the original estimate of $249 million to $136 million, bringing the total cost to $790 million.[45]
The Warm Springs/South Fremont station opened on March 25, 2017.[46] The extension broke ground in 2009, and was originally scheduled for completion in 2014.[47] [48] Construction of the station began in 2011,[49] and was expected to take three and a half years.[47] However, the opening was delayed repeatedly, and ultimately pushed back to spring 2017.[50]
The Berryessa Extension extends south from the Warm Springs/South Fremont station.[51]
Berryessa extension
The 10adj=midNaNadj=mid Berryessa extension to north San Jose encompasses the Milpitas station and the Berryessa station. A proposed infill station at Calaveras Boulevard in downtown Milpitas has been deferred until the city secures funding. Milpitas Station connects to VTA's Milpitas light rail station (formerly known as Montague station) near the Great Mall of the Bay Area via a pedestrian bridge.
Originally the entire Silicon Valley Extension from Fremont to Santa Clara was proposed as one megaproject, but lower than expected federal funding and sales tax revenue eliminated some stations from the original project and caused the division into two phases. Phase 1 extends to Berryessa, and Phase 2 will extend through downtown San Jose to Santa Clara. The Phase 1 scope was set by what VTA could afford. A local industrial park sued in 2011, without success, on environmental grounds claiming that the extension would reduce vehicular access.[52]
The project saw numerous delays,[53] and completion was pushed back many times from the originally-planned 2016.[54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63]
Milpitas and Berryessa/North San José stations opened on June 13, 2020.[64] [65] [66]
Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara extension
The final Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara leg has been planned through downtown San Jose to Santa Clara at an estimated cost of $6.8 billion. This third phase, long, is largely underground, featuring a 5adj=midNaNadj=mid tunnel. It would continue south from Berryessa, entering a tunnel to cross the Bayshore Freeway before continuing to a 28th Street/Little Portugal station on the city's "east side". From there, the tunnel would continue west under Santa Clara Street to a Downtown San Jose subway station, which would be an interchange station to VTA light rail lines on the surface at Santa Clara. The original proposal had additional subway stations between Alum Rock and Downtown at Civic Plaza/SJSU and Plaza de César Chávez, but these were consolidated into a single station to cut costs. The line would continue underground to the San Jose Diridon station, a transfer point to Amtrak, Caltrain, Altamont Corridor Express, VTA light rail and bus, and the planned California High-Speed Rail system. The proposed BART subway station would be named "Diridon" to match. The extension would then surface and continue to the site of the current Santa Clara Caltrain Station. A 40acres BART maintenance yard would also be created at Newhall as part of this phase, using land just south of Santa Clara station that was purchased by VTA from Union Pacific.[67] Like the Berryessa Extension, it would be built by VTA, but operated by BART.
After funding was secured for Berryessa (the first phase of the Silicon Valley Extension) in March 2012, VTA began looking for additional funding to complete the $6.8 billion second phase.[68] Completion is expected in 2029–2030.[69]
In late 2017, a disagreement arose between VTA and BART over whether the tunnel should have a single bore or dual bores. VTA favored a single 45adj=midNaNadj=mid bore, configured as a double-deck stack, with one track on the upper level and one on the lower level. VTA preferred a single bore to shorten the construction schedule and avoid cut and cover construction in Santa Clara Street for station sites. City officials believed cut and cover construction would be disruptive to streets and businesses, citing the construction of the Market Street subway as evidence.[70] [71] The single-bore design is newer, but less tested in the United States. However, BART preferred dual bores, as used elsewhere in its system, to cut construction cost and standardize the procedure for emergency evacuations. The twin bores would each be 20feet wide, and separated horizontally.[72] Local businesses, cities and VTA were lobbying for a single bore in 2018.[73] The design decision was postponed for three months;[74] in March, BART and VTA reached agreement on a single bore.[75] [76] The $125 million contract for engineering the single bore tunnel was awarded to a joint venture bid placed by London-based Mott MacDonald and San Francisco-based PGH Wong Engineering.[77]
Initial construction and soil sampling began in January 2019.[78] In September,[79] it was announced that the project would be delayed three to four years, with revenue service to begin in 2029–2030.[80] On October 15, 2021, VTA announced that it would award construction contracts for this phase's stations in summer 2022.[81] In May 2022, the first major contract for the Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara extension was awarded to Kiewit Shea Traylor Joint Venture, a joint venture between Kiewit Corporation, J.F. Shea Co and Traylor Brothers, Inc. KSTJV will bore the 4-mile tunnel from Berryessa to Diridon, and construct the 1-mile above-ground track from Diridon to Santa Clara.[82] [83]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Bay Area Rapid Transit District short range transit plan 1982 . December 20, 2018 . Archive.org . BART.
- VTA BART Silicon Valley - BART Silicon Valley . April 13, 2018 . www.vta.org.
- Web site: Warm Springs Extension Project Overview bart.gov . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161208002310/https://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx . December 8, 2016 . April 13, 2018 . www.bart.gov . en.
- News: March 13, 2012 . BART-to-San Jose construction to start in April . Associated Press . August 17, 2017 . Transportation leaders on Monday signed final documents pledging $900 million in federal funds for the $2.3 billion Berryessa extension, scheduled to open in 2016..
- News: November 19, 2019 . Milpitas, Berryessa BART Stations Won't Open This Year . November 20, 2019 . The long-anticipated Berryessa and Milpitas BART stations will not open this year. When construction began, the stations were supposed to open in 2016, but delays have pushed back the opening dates. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is building the BART extension into the South Bay and BART will operate the system..
- Web site: May 19, 2020 . BART service to Milpitas and San Jose starts Saturday, June 13 . May 19, 2020 . Bay Area Rapid Transit.
- Web site: Two New South Bay BART Stations Open for Service . 2020-06-13 . NBC Bay Area . June 13, 2020 . en-US.
- Web site: Johnson . Luke . 2020-06-13 . BART opens in Santa Clara County after 31 years in the making . 2020-06-13 . San José Spotlight . en-US.
- News: August 28, 2019 . Federal government readies to give BART's San Jose extension first installment…for the $5.6 billion project… . October 26, 2019 . the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)…is designing and building the $5.6 billion extension….
- U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $125 Million Funding Allocation to Santa Clara VTA for BART Silicon Valley Phase 2 Project . August 28, 2019 . The BART Silicon Valley Phase II project is a 6.5-mile extension…from the Berryessa Station through downtown San Jose…The total estimated project cost is $5.58 billion… . October 26, 2019.
- News: Greschler . Gabriel . October 4, 2023 . San Jose BART extension will be further delayed and cost more . San Jose Mercury News . October 4, 2023. Officials now expect the project to be completed in 2036 and cost $12.2 billion….
- News: Gary Richards . May 8, 2009 . BART extension to San Jose moving ahead . . August 25, 2014.
- News: Gary Richards . December 11, 2008 . The VTA priority: BART — and everything else will have to wait . . August 25, 2014.
- News: Cabanatuan . Michael . 2004-01-16 . New blow for BART-to-San Jose plans: Federal funding threatened by transit advisers, who rate 16-mile extension as 'not recommended' . A-19 . San Francisco Chronicle . Hearst Communications, Inc. . 2008-03-30.
- Web site: 2000 Measure a Transit Improvement Program - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081008010949/http://www.vta.org/2000_measure_a/index.html . October 8, 2008 . November 17, 2021.
- Web site: Guardino . Carl . 2006-01-25 . Survey Results - Potential County Measure . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071010152152/http://www.vtaridersunion.org/bartsjx/svlgsurveyourresponse_01282006.html#carl . 2007-10-10 . 2008-03-29.
- Web site: Santa Clara County, CA Ballot .
- Web site: December 14, 2006 . Summary Minutes, VTA Board of Directors Regular Meeting . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080704201318/http://www.vta.org/inside/boards/packets/2006/12_dec/121406/bod_121406_sm.pdf . July 4, 2008 . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . Agenda items #23 through 28.
- Web site: DeBolt . Daniel . Tax hike proposed to fund BART extension . . July 22, 2008 . August 18, 2024.
- SmartVoter.org (2008-11-04). "Measure B: BART Extension - VTA"http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/scl/meas/B/. League of Women Voters of California Education Fund. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
- VTA's BART Silicon Valley Extension - Timeline . April 13, 2018 . www.vta.org.
- News: Meacham . Jody . January 23, 2017 . Are you ready for a subway? Digging for BART begins in two years . Silicon Valley Business Journal . May 27, 2017.
- Web site: June 27, 2011 . Project Schedule by Phase . October 8, 2015.
- Berryessa extension project timeline . . April 7, 2017.
- Web site: Kurimoto, Kevin . January 20, 2016 . BART Phase II Funding Strategies . June 19, 2016 . VTA.
- Web site: February 2016 . BART Silicon Valley Phase II – Extension to San Jose and Santa Clara . June 19, 2016 . Federal Transit Administration.
- News: Michael Cabanatuan . January 11, 2012 . BART's San Jose extension closer to funding OK . . August 25, 2014.
- News: Richards . Gary . July 27, 2016 . Roadshow: BART may start running to San Jose in late 2017 . San Jose Mercury News . Can we really expect BART to San Jose by next year? … A That's what the Valley Transportation Authority insists, even though its website lists 2018..
- News: Michale Cabanatuan . March 13, 2012 . San Jose BART extension starts work in April . . August 25, 2014.
- Web site: March 11, 2016 . Phase II of VTA's BART Silicon Valley Project Gets FTA Green Light . June 19, 2016 . VTA.
- News: Petermann . Felix . November 7, 2016 . Santa Clara County to vote on sales tax increase for transportation projects as traffic worsens . Peninsula Press . December 6, 2016.
- Web site: June 2, 2016 . VTA Board Memorandum . June 19, 2016 . VTA.
- News: Kurhi, Eric . June 3, 2016 . Silicon Valley: Half-cent transit tax going to voters . . June 19, 2016.
- News: Richards . Gary . November 14, 2016 . Roadshow: What the passage of Measure B means . . November 30, 2016.
- News: Curry . Melanie . April 26, 2018 . Gas Tax Funding Announced for Transit, Highway, and Local Priority Projects . Streetsblog Cal . May 14, 2018.
- VTA Receives First of Its Kind Federal Funding Allocation . August 28, 2019 . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . Alaniz . Bernice.
- Web site: Federal Government Commits $5 Billion to BART SV Extension . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . August 2, 2024 . August 18, 2024.
- BART breaks ground on subway section of Warm Springs Extension . September 30, 2009 . Bay Area Rapid Transit District . March 7, 2019.
- BART Warm Springs Opening for Service March 25 . March 22, 2017 . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . March 7, 2019 . Ross, Stacey Hendler.
- Web site: VTA's BART Silicon Valley Phase II . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . August 18, 2024.
- Web site: Golem, Ron . Gibson, Jill . June 13, 2018 . VTA's BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project and TOD/Access Strategy . March 8, 2019 . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
- Web site: June 29, 2020 . Santa Clara VTA first agency to submit expedited federal funding request for BART Phase II . July 1, 2020 . Mass Transit.
- Web site: June 19, 2014 . BART - Warm Springs Extension Project Overview . July 15, 2014 . Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).
- News: David Louie . March 24, 2017 . Warm Springs BART station could face funding hurdles . abc7 . March 26, 2017.
- News: Bay City News Service . August 24, 2009 . BART to allow contractors to begin work on Warm Springs extension . Mercury News . March 26, 2017.
- News: Cabanatuan . Michael . March 11, 2017 . BART's long-awaited Warm Springs extension to open March 25 . . March 12, 2017.
- News: Bowers . Wes . October 2, 2009 . Warm Springs BART link breaks ground in Fremont . San Jose Mercury News . July 10, 2016 . Construction on the second phase, which includes track work, the station, line and systems, is anticipated to start next year. BART officials believe construction will last about three and a half years, and the new station to be named South Fremont should be open in 2014..
- Web site: May 5, 2011 . Warm Springs Extension Project Overview . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110530221551/http://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx/ . May 30, 2011 . August 12, 2015 . . Commencement of revenue service to Warm Springs Target Late 2014.
- Web site: Warm Springs Extension Construction Schedule . https://web.archive.org/web/20160728031609/https://www.bart.gov/about/projects/wsx . July 28, 2016 . July 28, 2016 . . Construction of the design-build Line, Track, Station and Systems (LTSS) contract, which began in October of 2011, is expected to be physically completed in summer 2016..
- News: Software Snafu Delays BART's Warm Springs Station Project . https://web.archive.org/web/20170119145118/http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Software-Snafu-Delays-BART_s-Warm-Springs-Station-Project_Bay-Area-411148505.html . January 19, 2017 . Software troubles could mean BART’s $900 million Warm Springs extension in Fremont will not be up and running until spring, officials acknowledge..
- Web site: Phase I - Berryessa Extension Fact Sheet . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority . November 27, 2023 . August 18, 2024.
- News: Mike Rosenberg . April 8, 2011 . Milpitas industrial park sues to halt BART extension to Silicon Valley . . August 25, 2014.
- News: Angst . Maggie . November 18, 2019 . Delays on Delays: Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations definitely will not open in 2019; Officials won't say when they expect the stations to open in 2020 . . November 18, 2019.
- News: Senese . Kyra . February 5, 2018 . BART Phase 1 extension opening pushed back . Railway Age . February 8, 2018.
- News: Cabanatuan . Michael . August 22, 2017 . BART pulls forecast for early completion of Silicon Valley extension . SFGate . February 8, 2018.
- News: Kurhi . Eric . August 22, 2017 . Milpitas, Berryessa stations won't open until June 2018 . Mercury News . February 8, 2018.
- News: Baldassari . Erin . January 19, 2018 . It's here! First train in BART's new fleet makes inaugural run . Mercury News . February 8, 2018.
- News: Milpitas, Berryessa BART stations may not open until 2019 . San Jose Mercury News . March 2, 2018 . VTA officials . . . are now saying the opening looks closer to January or even March next year..
- News: Richards . Gary . November 9, 2018 . BART extension to San Jose still nearly a year away . Mercury News . November 9, 2018.
- News: Richards . Gary . February 8, 2019 . BART testing to San Jose picks up; Nov. 1 opening tentatively set . Mercury News .
- News: Swan . Rachel . June 6, 2019 . BART ready to test Silicon Valley extension, preparing to open it by year's end . San Francisco Chronicle . June 7, 2019.
- Web site: June 7, 2019 . BART ready to test Silicon Valley extension, preparing to open it by year's end - SFChronicle.com . June 19, 2019 . www.sfchronicle.com . en-US.
- News: October 1, 2019 . Are the Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations going to open on time? It's complicated. . San Francisco Chronicle . October 10, 2019 . Revenue service will not start on Dec. 28, 2019 if VTA does not resolve the discrepancies necessary for BART to start pre-revenue testing by Oct. 21, 2019.
- VTA and BART will Defer Operations on the Berryessa Extension . November 15, 2019 . Alaniz . Bernice . November 17, 2019 . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
- News: Meacham . Jody . November 18, 2019 . BART service to Santa Clara County isn't going to happen this year . . November 18, 2019.
- News: June 13, 2020 . 'Beautiful,' 'surreal': Riders celebrate new era for BART and South Bay as stations open . The Mercury News . April 9, 2021.
- Web site: June 12, 2018 . Fact Sheet: VTA's BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project Newhall Maintenance Facility . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
- Web site: Financial . June 25, 2000 . June 19, 2016 . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
- News: September 24, 2019 . BART delays loom for downtown San Jose: BART timetable for downtown San Jose service now seen as 2030 . San Jose Mercury News . October 10, 2019 . At one point, political and business leaders had anticipated BART service beginning in 2026 in downtown San Jose, but the new estimates from VTA point to a service launch more in the 2029 or 2030 time frame….
- News: September 3, 2017 . BART to Santa Clara Busts Budget . People Powered Press . October 29, 2019.
- Web site: Childress . Brandi . November 20, 2017 . Peer Review Results on BART Phase II . November 26, 2017 . Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
- News: Richards . Gary . October 2, 2017 . BART to San Jose: Is one subway tunnel cheaper, less disruptive to build? . . November 26, 2017.
- News: Ross . Matier . November 21, 2017 . BART's big dig leading to a big fight in Silicon Valley . . November 26, 2017.
- Web site: January 24, 2018 . FTA Extends BART Phase II Development Timeline . March 3, 2018 . VTA.
- News: Green . Jason . March 30, 2018 . VTA, BART agree on one-tunnel option for San Jose extension . . April 1, 2018.
- Web site: VTA Board Approves Staff Recommendation for BART Silicon Valley Phase II Project . April 13, 2018 . www.vta.org . en.
- News: Meacham . Jody . January 11, 2019 . VTA awards general engineering contract for BART subway in San Jose . Silicon Valley Business Journal . January 14, 2019.
- News: DeRuy . Emily . January 17, 2019 . BART construction beginning in downtown San Jose . Mercury News . January 23, 2019.
- News: Avalos . George . September 25, 2019 . BART delays loom for downtown San Jose . San Jose Mercury News . September 25, 2019.
- News: Handa . Robert . September 25, 2019 . New Design on BART Extension to San Jose Pushes Back Completion Date to 2030 . NBC Bay Area . September 30, 2019.
- Web site: October 15, 2021 . VTA To Award Contracts For BART Extension To Downtown San Jose, Santa Clara . October 17, 2021 . CBS Bay Area.
- Web site: VTA Board Approves First Major Contract of BART Extension to Downtown San Jose/Santa Clara. 2 September 2022. Valley Transportation Authority.
- Web site: California rail project tunnel contract awarded. 3 May 2023. Ground Engineering. Kajastie. Nia. 23 May 2022.