BART DRAFT System Renewal Program Plan

Over the past several years, BART visited more than 160 organizations, including BOMA San Francisco, to explain their Building a Better BART presentation.

Building a Better BART is the organization's new plan to renew 90 miles of deteriorating rail, repair corroding tunnel walls and replace aging speed control equipment. The goal is to rebuild the 43-year-old infrastructure in order to maintain BART’s excellent safety record, increase train reliability, take cars off the road and protect our environment in the years to come.

Based on BOMA member and other stakeholder feedback, BART has created an expenditure plan designed to fix the department's aging infrastructure while addressing many concerns. During the past several months, BART staff has spent a significant amount of time and effort completing the first draft of this plan. This draft document, titled BART System Renewal Program Plan, is BART staff’s first attempt at incorporating stakeholder comments while addressing the needs of our aging system. The drat program takes a fix it first approach - meaning the vast majority of the funding focuses on revitalizing the original infrastructure. The plan is broken down into three major categories:

• Repair and replace critical safety infrastructure needs: This section includes funding for tracks, power systems, tunnels and seismic improvements to the Berkeley Hills Tunnel. 
• Relieve crowding and reduce Bay Area traffic congestion: This section identifies funding for modernizing train control and the expansion of maintenance facilities to service a growing fleet. 
• Improve station access and safety: This section identifies funding to add elevators, overhaul escalators and make BART accessible for seniors and people with disabilities. 

You can download the first draft of the program by clicking here. BART cannot emphasize enough that the release of this draft plan signals the beginning of a public discussion. You can send your comments to betterbart@bart.gov or replying to this email.

In February. March, April and May, 2016, the draft will be shared with the BART Board of Directors, community groups, Bay Area elected officials, along with county and regional transportation management agencies. The process of creating this program has been both challenging and rewarding. BART looks forward to your comments and to spending the next year accelerating our efforts to educate the public about our vital infrastructure needs through the Building a Better BART plan.