BART preps for earthquake safety at Fruitvale Station

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) this month plans to perform seismic retrofit construction work inside its Fruitvale Station in Oakland, California.

Workers will retrofit columns and fixtures in and around the station to help the infrastructure better withstand earthquake damage.

As part of the pre-construction activities, a worker used a scissor lift to scan the structures in preparation for the retrofit work.

Crews also are strengthening each column that holds up the elevated BART trackway under the alignment.

The work inside the concourse is expected to last four to six months, agency officials said in a press release.

BART's $1.3 billion earthquake safety program calls for upgrading vulnerable segments of the agency's original rail system. Portions with the highest traffic will be upgraded to ensure they can return to operation shortly after a major earthquake.

Within the next 30 years, there is a "high probability" of one or more major earthquakes hitting the San Francisco Bay Area, according to a U.S. Geological Survey analysis.