The Mercury News (San Jose) — After years of trying and failing, the BART extension to San Jose has finally qualified for federal funds, with up to $900 million on the line.

The Federal Transit Administration included the BART project in its “new starts” program, in which transit agencies across the country compete for about $2 billion a year for new rail and bus lines, the Valley Transportation Authority confirmed Wednesday.

Federal funding would be the final piece in a complex financial puzzle, making it possible to bring the region’s most popular train line to the Bay Area’s biggest city. The state has committed $760 million for the effort, and Santa Clara County voters have approved two sales taxes to pay for building and operating the trains.

Sam Liccardo, a San Jose councilman and chairman of the VTA board, called the news a “significant milestone” that “shows that this project will compete well against other transit nationally.”

Thirty transit projects around the nation were in this year’s new starts pipeline, and 19 of those will get funding.

Even if the VTA does not get money next year, it will be in the running for federal dollars in following years. [read more…]