Major BART project gets $1.2 billion federal boost
BART is getting a $1.2 billion federal grant to help pay for more frequent trains in the Transbay Tube, even as the agency struggles with low ridership, plummeting revenue and an uncertain future because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The funding supports a program that will include a new train control system, 252 new railcars, six new power substations and a 250railcar storage facility. The improvements will increase trains in the Transbay Tube from 22 to 28 per hour.
“This is a huge day for BART and anyone who needs to get across the Bay during commute hours,” BART General Manager Bob Powers said in a statement Monday.
BART’s website estimates it will be 2030 before 28 trains run every hour between San Francisco and the East Bay, with up to 30 trains an hour by 2032.
The federal grant is part of an agreement between BART and the Department of Transportation, where the federal government agreed to provide $1.2 billion of the Transbay project’s $2.7 billion cost.
“This project is crucial to keep up with the Bay Area’s transportation needs now and in the future,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, DCalif., said in a statement Monday. “These improvements are even more necessary amid the coronavirus pandemic. More railcars and more frequent trains will make social distancing on public transport easier while allowing essential workers to commute to their employers.”
Feinstein led the Bay Area congressional delegation to urge U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao to push the project forward in a letter in May, her office said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DSan Francisco, committed to maintaining and improving service, especially for essential workers.
“For residents of the Bay Area, BART is a vital service, central to the strength of our economy and our communities,” Pelosi said in a statement.
Funneling money to push forward improvements and increase service comes as the coronavirus pandemic has slashed commuting for nearly all but essential workers over the past six months. BART reported a 91% drop in ridership on Sunday compared to September budget projections.
With fare and sales tax revenue dropping, and COVID19 cleaning and testing adding $27 million in costs, BART’s chief said in July the agency expects to lose $975 million over three years.
That leaves BART depending on federal funding, not just to complete the Transbay Tube project, but to survive. The agency’s annual budget, passed in June, relied on approximately $251 million in federal funding to maintain service, avoid layoffs and purchase personal protective equipment. The agency is also expecting $20 million in reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for COVID19 related expenses.
“The pandemic continues to have a severe impact on BART revenues and will likely continue to do so,” Pamela Herhold, BART’s assistant general manager for performance and budget told the agency’s board of directors in a meeting Thursday. “Ridership is unlikely to recover substantially for years.”
San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Rachel Swan contributed to this report.