BART work to slow travel in East Bay this weekend
A major construction job on BART’s line in Contra Costa County will result in delays for drivers on Highway 24 and train riders this weekend.
The work is part of BART’s plan to restore a deteriorating stretch of track between the Orinda and Walnut Creek stations on the AntiochtoMillbrae line over the next few months. This weekend, two eastbound highway lanes will be closed, and BART will shut down tracks and run singletrack operations.
The closures will continue on alternating weekends through October. Shuttles will run between the stations during track closures.
The freeway closure of two eastbound lanes between Lafayette Station and Oak Hill Road was set to begin at 11 p.m. Friday, constricting traffic until the Monday morning rush hour,
when one lane will open at 6 a.m., the other at 7 a.m. Motorists should expect delays of up to 30 minutes as crews narrow the roadway to make room for a 265ton crane.
BART and Caltrans collaborated on the Highway 24 closures, scheduled for the weekends of Aug. 1718, Aug. 31Sept. 2, Sept. 1415, Sept. 2829, Oct. 1213 and Oct. 2627. During that time, officials will block the two left eastbound lanes for threequarters of a mile to accommodate a flotilla of loading equipment, including the crane, semitrucks and a conveyor system.
AC Transit and County Connection will provide free buses to carry BART riders between Orinda, Lafayette and Walnut Creek stations while the track is closed. Officials warn riders to prepare for 40minute delays.
Additionally, BART trains will run singletrack on four Saturdays — Aug. 24, Sept. 7, Sept. 21 and Oct. 19 — prolonging BART trips by about 30 minutes on the AntiochMillbrae line and requiring overnight shutdowns of the two eastbound lanes on Highway 24, from 11 p.m. Fridays to 7 a.m. Saturdays, and 11 p.m. Saturdays to 9 a.m. Sundays.
Crews plan to replace 5,000 feet of rail, 10,000 feet of train control cable, six track switches that allow BART to redirect trains from line to line, and 2.8 million pounds of rock ballast to support the trackway. Workers will also install 320 new electrical insulators to confine electricity in the third rail.
The project is among those funded by the $3.5 billion Measure RR bond that voters approved in 2016. It aims to make the ride smoother and quieter, stave off breakdowns and keep trains running on time.