SAN JOSE, Calif. — A towering 217-foot crane, one of only four in the U.S. and the only one currently operating on the West Coast, has been deployed for the BART Silicon Valley Phase II (BSVII) project, marking a bold new chapter in the system’s expansion.
The BSVII extension will add six miles of track and four new stations, connecting Berryessa through downtown San Jose and into Santa Clara. The project is now entering a critical construction phase: installing massive steel rebar cages deep into drilled shafts, the structural cores of BSVII’s future foundations.
Currently stationed at the project’s West Portal Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)/tunnel launch structure, the crane plays a key role in preparing for future tunnelling operations. To deliver this engineering giant to the site, 39 semi-trucks were required, underscoring the scale and logistical complexity of the operation.
“This is a rare machine and seeing it in action is like witnessing the muscle behind modern infrastructure,” said Sarah Wilson, Director of Construction for BSVII. “Its presence signals one of the most exciting and transformative stages of the project, vertical construction.”
Working in tandem with one of the most innovative tools on the project, the crane will use a custom-built tripping frame, which is specialised to safely lift massive rebar cages, some of which extend over 140 feet long and weigh more than 300,000 pounds (roughly the size of 12 school buses) and lower them into vertical shafts. The tripping frame is essential to this process, enabling the safe, controlled movement of these massive steel structures that would otherwise be impossible to handle. Each installation takes about 26 hours. Once in place, the cages are filled with concrete to form reinforced columns that will support underground walls and infrastructure, necessary to launch the Tunnel Boring Machine in the future.
“We are using one of the largest cranes available to install heavy steel loads into our launch structure walls, all while keeping our crews and nearby rail lines safe,” Wilson added.
The use of such rare, specialized equipment underscores both the scale and complexity of BSVII. With only four cranes of this size and type in the country, and just this one operating on the West Coast, its deployment highlights the national significance of this infrastructure project.
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Over the coming weeks, residents and visitors will see this engineering giant in action, a dramatic symbol of progress rising above the construction zone. The shift from underground work to visible vertical construction marks a pivotal step forward as the future of Bay Area transit takes shape.
BSVII will enhance connectivity, ease regional congestion, and promote sustainable transportation. With cutting-edge equipment, innovative tools like the tripping frame, and highly skilled crews, the project continues to advance with safety, precision, and long-term community benefit at its core.