$5M To Deal With Birds On BART's Fremont Extension Project
FREMONT (CBS SF) -- Nesting birds are causing a costly problem for the Bay Area Rapid Transit rail extension project in Fremont.
BART is spending $5 million in taxpayer funds on inflatable dancers, like those found on used car lots, to shoo the birds away, and keep them from laying eggs on the construction site.
The agency has tried and failed for two years to remove the birds, according to an article in the San Jose Mercury News.
The contractor working on the $148 million project under Fremont's Central Park have asked the BART board to be reimbursed the $5 million for extra work done to deter the birds.
BART had originally budgeted $90,000 for the bird problem.
BART crews hired biologists to monitor the situation, and chase away the birds.
The majority of the cost came from crews working overtime over the last two years.
Funding for the project would come from the financing previously secured for the subway extension project, which includes revenues from local bridge tolls, state funds, and Alameda County sales tax.
The cost breaks down to about $17,000 per nest.
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