The city of San Jose is looking to build a dedicated transit link across downtown that would connect Mineta San Jose International Airport with transit hub Diridon Station without impeding regular city traffic.
The city announced Tuesday it is accepting requests for proposals that are able to develop the necessary technology, come up with a business model that includes private funding and ultimately design a transit system that "avoids street-level crossings."
The proposals will first be narrowed down to two that meet those requirements before the winning bid is selected, the city says.
"With this promising next step, we're showing residents that we are committed to delivering on this crucial connection and fulfilling the promise of Measure A, passed many years ago," Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a statement. "I am excited to see the ingenuity brought forward through this process and how we can leverage the finest talent and solutions to make the Airport Connector a reality."
"Here in the heart of Silicon Valley, we should take advantage of all the innovative technologies that are around us," the mayor said.
John Ristow, the city's director of transportation, said the project is asking companies to push the envelope on technology, and the result should be … "a great user experience for the passenger."
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San Jose initially began the process for the airport-to-train-station link back in 2019 with a request for information, and it received 23 responses that outlined innovations such as personal rapid transit, mixed-flow autonomous vehicles, Hyperloop, monorails and magnetic levitation vehicles, the city said.
For more details about the Airport-Diridon Connector Project, go to the city of San Jose website.
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