BART advances station access improvement projects

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) last week identified four rail station access improvement projects to receive a combined total of $3.5 million in Measure RR funding.

The projects are part of the agency’s Safe Routes to BART program, which focuses on improving bike and pedestrian connections to BART stations. Grants include:

• $420,000 for the Powell Street Station’s Fifth Street Improvement Project in San Francisco. The grant will support vehicle-lane reductions, striping, signal timing changes, and a parking protected bikeway with curb ramps, raised crosswalks, transit boarding islands and additional re-striping and signage. The project's cost estimate is $1.88 million.
• $920,000 for the Fremont Station’s Walnut Avenue/Liberty Street Protected Intersection. BART’s funding will support work to shorten crossing distances, remove right turn slip lanes, promote safer vehicle turning speeds, and upgrade lighting and bicycle detection. Project cost estimate: $1.83 million.
• $700,000 to the Pittsburg Center’s BART Pedestrian/Bike Connectivity Project to fully separate pedestrians and cyclists from vehicle traffic. BART’s funding will help install four bike facilities, enhanced lighting and high visibility crosswalks. Project cost estimate: $5.5 million.
• $1.5 million to the Dublin/Pleasanton Iron Horse Trail Bridge. The trail directly connects to the Dublin/Pleasanton and Pleasant Hill BART stations. BART’s contribution to the $11.11 million project will support a grade-separated crossing.

Safe Routes to BART received 10 applications for the first round of funding, BART officials said in a press release.

Selected projects offered a minimum funding match of 30 percent, had evidence of governing body support, and had a minimum of 35 percent of the design complete. Applicants also had to show how projects would improve BART access for members of disadvantaged communities.