BART wraps up track repairs; Caltrain gears up for crossing improvements

Bay Area Rapid Transit's (BART) trackway construction and repair project between southern San Francisco and Daly City, Calif., has been completed.

The project was slated to take seven weekends of "intense repair work," but crews completed the work in five, BART officials said in a press release. Miles of worn rail needed to be replaced near the Balboa Park Station in San Francisco, and a crossover required reconstruction.

In addition, sound dampers were installed throughout this area to help quiet screeching rails.

In total, crews replaced over 4,000 feet of rail and 930 wood ties, installed 2,800 dampers, reconfigured power systems throughout the area, rebuilt a local portion of the train control system, laid 1,600 feet of cable and removed five dead or dying trees.

Meanwhile, Caltrain on Friday will close its Churchill Avenue grade crossing to drivers and pedestrians as the San Francisco-area commuter railroad carries out track maintenance work.

The crossing will remain closed through Sept. 26. A second closure is planned from Sept. 30 through Oct. 3, Caltrain officials said in a press release.

During the closures, Caltrain trains will travel on single track through the construction site. The railroad will reconstruct the crossing with new concrete crossing panels, ballast, rails and wooden ties.

The elements are designed to provide a "smoother safer crossing for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists," agency officials said.