19th Street/Oakland Station Modernization

BART held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the modernization project at 19th Street Station in January 2023.  

The project upgraded 19th Street/Oakland BART Station with improvements that will expand station capacity, reduce crowding, improve access, save energy, reduce fare evasion, and enhance the customer experience.

Building off of BART's 2014 Station Modernization Plan, BART made the following upgrades:

  • Renovate and re-open the Public Restrooms on the Concourse level (Grand reopening took place in February 2022)

  • Replaced existing light fixtures with energy-efficient LED lighting throughout station; the entire station is now brightly lit  

  • Installed new glass railings and fare barriers creating a more modern and welcoming look; the staircase glass barriers replaced brick walls and thus removed hidden corners, enhancing the safety and cleanliness of the stairwells

  • Reconfigured the concourse from three paid areas into one continuous paid area making moving throughout the station and locating the open restroom easier

  • Installed a new fare gate array in the south end enclosing existing concourse to platform elevator into the paid area

  • Expanded the fare paid area at the north end of the station, including a new station agent booth and new fare gates

  • Added a new north end platform elevator

  • Repaired terrazzo flooring and ceramic wall tiles

  • Expanded interior bike parking and addition of bike stair channels to roll bikes up and down staircases

  • Added new public art installations throughout station

Three artists created art light boxes to make the stairwells lighter and brighter.

Artists featured at 19th Street Station: 

Ron M. Saunders, San Francisco 

Phillip Hua, San Francisco

Lisa and Hailey Banks, Chico (formerly of San Francisco) 

Julio Martinez, San Francisco 

Merge Conception Design: Los Angeles

19th Street/Oakland BART Station Improvements Summary Sheet

These improvements are funded by State of California Proposition 1B funds, BART Measure RR funds, Caltrans (STIP) funds, Alameda CTC Measure BB funds, and a Federal Department of Transportation TIGER Grant, as part of the broader GO Uptown project with the City of Oakland.

Substantial construction was completed in late 2022.

Station entrance

The brightly lit concourse and platform at 19th St Station

Light box art in the staircases

19th Street/Oakland Station Modernization Plan

BART completed the 19th Street/Oakland Station Modernization Plan in 2014. The goal of the plan is to develop a long-term vision to upgrade and modernize the station's function, safety, capacity, sustainability, and appearance, as well as to improve the overall customer experience.  The plan is intended to be implemented in phases as funding becomes available.

For more information, view the final report:

19th Street/Oakland BART Station Modernization Plan - 2014 (PDF)

Passenger input

BART conducted in-station events and an online survey to get input on the Station Modernization Plan in June 2014. Over 629 people provided feedback.

The following were rated as the most important improvements by survey participants:

  • Maintain and upgrade general infrastructure functionality – e.g. ensure that escalators/elevators work, repair elevator leaks, increase storage for cleaning equipment, replace worn out hardware (75% surveyed rated as "important" or "extremely important")

  • Improve general station cleanliness and upkeep – e.g. repaint ceilings and repairing floors, repair damaged bricks (68% surveyed rated as "important" or "extremely important")

  • Upgrade the lighting within the station, including more energy efficient lighting (61% surveyed rated as "important" or "extremely important")

If you wish to view the public consultation materials, please click here.