SFMTA, BART mark completion of Balboa Park Station upgrades

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission representatives joined federal officials Nov. 30 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of major improvements to Balboa Park Station in San Francisco.

Launched in May 2016, the $18.7 million project included a new elevated boarding platform, newly covered headhouse, lighting improvements, wayfinding signage, real-time displays and the addition of a mid-station entrance. The project lasted a decade from concept to planning to design to construction, SFMTA officials said in a press release.

The BART station is home to an SFMTA light-rail terminal and streetcar depot, and multiple bus lines. The upgrades make it more convenient for riders to make connections between Muni, BART and bus services at one of the region’s most heavily-used transit hubs. The station serves more than 24,000 people daily and logs one of the highest ridership marks for a BART station outside of downtown San Francisco.

“None of this would have happened without the true partnership between BART and the SFMTA. We are literally on top of each other at this location bordered by busy, steep city streets and a freeway,” said BART board member Bevan Dufty. “Our agencies were able to work through a number of scheduling, planning and engineering challenges to bring so much more than a facelift to the station, but a transformation that has made it more accessible, safe and convenient."

For Muni riders, the new accessible boarding platform on the east side of the station means they no longer have to wait on a narrow strip of pavement just inches away from moving Muni trains, SFMTA officials said. The platform also connects to a pedestrian bridge crossing over BART tracks to the west side of the station.