The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) proposed the expansion of their services through the construction of the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit Corridor. Far Western was retained by environmental prime contractors for the cultural resources inventory within the proposed project’s Area of Potential Effects (APE) and to assess the archaeological sensitivity of studied alternatives. In addition to sites identified through archival research and field review, Far Western noted that there were several locations where there was significant potential for buried prehistoric archaeological deposits. Also, archival research identified nearly 200 locations in or adjacent to the APE where historic-era archaeological features or deposits were likely to be uncovered during construction.
After the Berryessa Extension Project (northern portion) alternative was selected, the VTA continued working with Far Western, leading to the preparation of a Cultural Resources Treatment Plan. This plan documented known and potential cultural and historic-era resources in the project area, discussing its environmental, prehistoric, historic, and ethnohistoric contexts. In addition, the report detailed methods for approaching potential resources and outlines methods for mitigation potential effects to significant resources. Far Western has continued working with the VTA to explore/test parcels as they have become available for study. In doing so, Far Western has conducted an additional four archaeological inventories, three subsurface coring/trenching projects, one archaeological site testing program in support of the Berryessa Extension, and public outreach efforts through the construction of interpretive panels at the Upper Penitencia Trailhead.