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Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) recently proposed a $673.4 million fiscal-year 2009 operating budget.

The spending plan includes funds to replace worn carpet on 300 cars, nearly double the rate of new car seat installations to 600 per week, maintain 24 new car cleaners the agency added this year and maintain service increases implemented in January.

The budget would take effect July 1.

“The FY09 budget reflects the cost of operating an aging system at unprecedented service levels at a time of uncertainty regarding the economy,” General Manager Dorothy Dugger said during her budget presentation to the board. “The economic news is worrisome and has caused us to take a cautious outlook on available revenues for the upcoming fiscal year. The state of the economy has always impacted [BART’s] two primary revenue sources, which are ridership and sales taxes.”