VTA's BART Silicon Valley Phase I Extension Opening Celebration


Target Audience: Expanding the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system into the heart of Silicon Valley has been a decades long dream for Santa Clara County residents and San Francisco Bay Area commuters. On June 12, 2020, amid socially distanced, masked attendees, VTA and BART celebrated the opening of the first phase of the rapid rail extension. The station openings and service commencement ceremony were keenly targeted due to the unique environment presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. With adherence to strict health guidelines, invited guests included past and present elected officials, business partners, key agency staff and major influencers that made the project possible. To allow others to share in this momentous occasion, VTA live streamed the events with hundreds in virtual attendance.

Strategy Objective:Faced with all of the challenges the health pandemic imposed on our everyday lives, front line transit and infrastructure workers remained on the job to provide the essential services that keep our communities moving. The celebration of BART service to Silicon Valley, after decades of waiting, had been envisioned as a three-day rolling event to thank community members, acknowledge those who helped secure funding, and celebrate the men and women who build it, all while getting the word out that this newest extension was open for business. These events are the Super Bowls of transportation achievements and best opportunity for earned media and promotion. The objective of this entry is to pay homage to the hard work and dedication of those individuals and to thank them for their service.

Situation Challenge: The $2.4 billion, 10-mile extension includes two new BART stations in the cities of Milpitas and San Jose. The project created thousands of jobs, spurred major housing and retail developments, and required the patience of many neighbors living near the construction for six years. Dreams of a big celebration to thank the community and stakeholders were dashed because of COVID-19 restrictions, and the opening ceremony was quite different than typical for a Federal New Starts project. Nevertheless, the event planning team remained nimble and creative in giving this historic milestone its proper recognition. Pre-recorded videos, spaced out seating, onsite safety briefings, protective equipment and disinfecting supplies were just some of the elements that made this a truly unique celebration.

Results Impact: The opening of VTA's BART Phase I Extension was significant to the vitality of the San Francisco Bay Area region. This entry is more than an acknowledgement of the ribbon cutting event that took place but, more so, the opportunity it provided to promote the new service and transit connections through a $50,000 marketing campaign. This included: promotional videos highlighting the two BART stations, a digital element emphasizing the numerous ways to pay for parking, a uniquely branded Clipper card scavenger hunt and a supporting campaign that highlights the multi-modal connection from the two BART stations.

Why Submit: Consideration of an AdWheel Award for the great attempt to celebrate this accomplishment would be a meaningful and well-deserved tribute to the largest transportation infrastructure project in Santa Clara County's history, and to the men and women who made it all happen. Although demand for this commuter rail service has been low as California remains under shelter in place/stay at home restrictions, the new extension offers great opportunity for those who work and live in the Bay Area. As the economy rebounds in post-COVID recovery, this rapid rail extension will be more important than ever as an alternative to soul-crushing commutes, a solution to productivity loss, and a clean mobility option to combat climate change.