What about Dulles Metro Phase 2 coming in early and under budget? BART can do it!

An article in the December 8, 2011, San Jose Mercury reports that it appears that construction of an extension of the line to San Jose, CA, is likely to come in as much as 18 months early and $77 million under estimates. 

BART trains could begin running in Santa Clara County before Christmas 2016 -- nearly 18 months ahead of the projected 2018 timeline.

Using the promise of millions in incentives for construction companies to finish early, project director Mark Massman said it was very likely "that by the end of 2016 we should be ready to roll the trains."

The news came Thursday as the Valley Transportation Authority approved spending $772 million to begin construction of the $2.3 billion, 10-mile extension from Fremont to the Berryessa area of San Jose east of Highway 101. . . .

. . . And the winning bid came in $77 million under the VTA's estimate. . . .

A BART train bound for Fremont leaves the Union City stop.  ( Len Vaughn-Lahman )

The article notes: 

This is the first major contract to be awarded for the project, and as the unanimous 12-0 vote was announced the 150 people in the Santa Clara County supervisors' chambers broke into a long, sustained applause.

Haven't seen much of that going on here around Silver Line decisions.

Click here to see the rest of the Mercury article and how commuter rail contracts ought to be handled.