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Friday, Feb. 14, marks the start of the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend, hosted by the Golden State Warriors. BART looks forward to carrying fans to the games and events happening on both sides of the Bay. We’re also proud to partner with the NBA Players Association for the big weekend. 

Follow our directions below to make your journey to games and events as smooth as Curry’s free throws. BART will adjust train lengths to accommodate ridership. Find a list of all the NBA All-Star Weekend events here. 

Win free tickets and prizes 

Those looking to win free tickets and other prizes can download the NBA Events app, which has partnered with BART and other Bay Area agencies to encourage riding transit around the Bay.  

After creating a free NBA ID account, visit the participating stations (see below), tap the tile on the dashboard corresponding with the station, and earn your check-in via your mobile device in mixed reality. Each check-in will also count towards unlocking NBA All-Star prizes through the NBA ID All-Star Rewards Program.  

Participating stations: 

• 16th St./Mission Station
• Coliseum Station
• Embarcadero Station
• Lake Merritt Station
• Powell St. Station 

The Grand BART Prize will be in the form of digital Railgoods.com gift cards in amounts ranging from $10 to $100. 

Take transit to Chase Center 

• Take BART to Powell St. Station and transfer to Muni T Third trains at Union Square Station. Signs on the platform and concourse will guide you to the right exit to catch Muni, and the special event trains will read “S Shuttle Mission Bay.” Disembark Muni at UCSF/Chase Center.
• Take BART to 16th St./Mission Station and transfer to special Muni 78X bus service. Disembark at 16th St. & Illinois St.  

*Your event ticket is your Muni ticket. Ride Muni to Chase Center for FREE with your event ticket (excluding cable cars). For more information, visit the Chase Center website. 

Friday, Feb. 14, 6pm: Castrol Rising Stars 

Saturday, Feb. 15, 5pm: State Farm All-Star Saturday Night 

Sunday, Feb. 16, 5pm: 74th NBA All-Star Game 

Take transit to Oakland Arena 

BART takes you directly to the Oakland Arena. Take BART to Coliseum Station and walk across the overpass and around the Coliseum to the arena. Use the arena’s North Entrance for a shorter walk.  

Friday, Feb. 14, 4pm: Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game 

Saturday, Feb. 15, 11am: NBA All-Star Practice presented by AT&T 

Saturday, Feb. 15, 2pm: NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T 

Take transit to Moscone Center 

Take BART to Montgomery Station and walk a short distance to Moscone Center.  

Friday, Feb. 14, to Sunday, Feb. 16: NBA Crossover interactive fan experience 

Sunday, Feb. 16: NBA G League Next Up Game 

Take transit to the NBA All-Star Concert Series at Pier 48 

The NBA will host a three-day concert series from Friday, Feb. 14, through Sunday, Feb. 16, at Pier 48. Headliners include Noah Kahan, The Chainsmokers, Zedd, and Flo Rida.  

• Take BART to Powell St. Station and transfer to Muni T Third trains at Union Square Station. Signs on the platform and concourse will guide you to the right exit to catch Muni, and the special event trains will read “S Shuttle Mission Bay.” Disembark Muni at Mission Rock and walk to Pier 48.
• Take BART to Embarcadero Station and transfer to Muni N Judah trains on the upper level of the station. Disembark at King and 2nd streets and walk to Pier 48. 

Take transit to the NBPA Brotherhood Deli at SPARK Social SF 

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) will bring their Brotherhood Deli food truck along with activations and programming to SPARK Social SF from Friday, Feb. 14, through Sunday, Feb. 16, 11am to 6pm. It’s a short walk from SPARK Social to Chase Center.  

The celebration will include player appearances, photo opps, plant-based food, immersive gaming, and hourly slam dunk shows and fan shooting contests.  

• Take BART to Powell St. Station and transfer to Muni T Third trains at Union Square Station. Signs on the platform and concourse will guide you to the right exit to catch Muni. Disembark Muni at Mission Rock and walk to SPARK Social.
• Take BART to 16th St./Mission Station and transfer to the Muni 22 bus. Disembark at Mission Bay Blvd North and 3rd Street and walk to SPARK Social.  

The BART Board of Directors has adopted a balanced FY27 budget ($1.2B Operating and $828M Capital) for what will be a defining year in its history of providing safe and reliable transit service to the Bay Area. The budget covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, a period when pandemic emergency funds run out, the District faces a structural deficit of $375M, and a regional transit funding measure will potentially be on the November ballot.

The BART Board has planned for two financial scenarios, one in which new revenue becomes available, and one in which no new funds are provided to BART in FY27. For the latter, the board has initially approved an Alternative Service Plan detailing service cuts, fare increases, and layoffs to close the $375M deficit.

Preventing service cuts through new revenue, cuts, deferrals, and borrowing

The budget adopted today assumes the transit funding measure is approved and will provide $74M in new revenue to BART during the fiscal year. Even with new sales tax proceeds from an approved funding measure, BART still needed to solve for an additional $302M to close the FY27 budget in a way that would not impact riders or cut service.

The budget makes $18.2M in ongoing cuts with $7.3M from ongoing department reductions and efficiencies and eliminating 63 operating full-time positions, saving $11M in labor costs.

“This is a leaner budget with less spending and a smaller headcount,” said BART Board President Melissa Hernandez. “The board challenged staff to find efficiencies and reduce costs in a way that would not be experienced by the riders and would not negatively impact the improvements we have made resulting in the highest reliability and satisfaction rates in years.”

The FY27 budget relies on $88.5M in borrowing to prevent service cuts and bridge the funding gap until proceeds from the revenue measure become available to BART.

Ridership growth coupled with cuts, efficiencies, and better investment returns due to cash management from BART’s new Office of the Chief Financial Officer structure have generated nearly $25M in additional revenue. In addition, BART anticipates stretching $52M in state emergency funds into FY27. Emergency funds were originally expected to be depleted before July 2026.  This has reduced the level of borrowing and deferrals needed to close the FY27 budget by $78M, helping reduce long-term costs to BART.

BART’s financial crisis was created because BART’s financial model has historically relied heavily on fare dollars to pay for operations and riders are now taking fewer trips each week because of remote work.

Ridership reaches new post-pandemic milestone  

While the number of trips served each year remains at about half of what it was pre-pandemic, ridership projections included in the budget mark the first time since the pandemic the average weekday ridership estimate will be more than 200,000 trips.  It was originally projected to be 191,000 trips, but FY26 had more than a 12% growth in ridership, fueled by higher customer satisfaction, a declining crime rate, strong weekend ridership recovery, and improved on-time performance.  

No fare increases and all discounts maintained

The budget does not include a fare increase during FY27 and maintains discounts for seniors, youth, low-income people, and people with disabilities. The budget assumes $2.5M in additional revenue from demand-based parking increases and more people parking as ridership ticks up.

Budget funds current service levels with improvements

Assuming the funding measure is successful, BART will continue to operate current service levels with a schedule change on August 10, 2026, with targeted improvements that will enhance reliability and reduce wait times for some riders. By making a change in how trains travel through Daly City Station and operating it as a center platform station, service will be improved throughout the system with improved headways, transfers, and less train congestion.

Trains will be more evenly spaced apart for Richmond-bound riders. Yellow Line and Red Line trains will be spaced 10 minutes apart instead of 5 and 15 minutes today. Dublin- and Berryessa-bound riders will also have better spacing between trains, from 3 and 17 minutes today to 8 and 12 minutes. There will be a new cross-platform transfer at Bay Fair for Dublin (Blue Line) to Berryessa (Orange Line) riders and the reverse trip. And riders coming from Antioch (Yellow Line) transferring toward Richmond (Orange or Red Line) will save 17 minutes with a new four-minute transfer.      

Capital budget funds infrastructure investments

BART’s $828M Capital Budget reflects its continued commitment to reinvest in core infrastructure to improve safety and reliability of service. Major projects include a new Communications Based Train Control system, traction power upgrades, elevator modernization, escalator replacement, and a highly prioritized computer network modernization project intended to prevent major service disruptions caused by outdated equipment.  FY27 marks a major shift into construction for a large majority of funded projects that have completed planning, design, and procurement of materials.  In FY27 BART will replace key track equipment near Fremont and Oakland and will complete construction of a modernized Operations Control Center.

These projects are funded by voter-approved Measure RR and other local, regional, state, and federal grant sources, in addition to reduced allocations from BART’s Operating Budget, which leverage the outside funding needed to fully fund these essential projects. 

BART commits to financial efficiency action items

Along with approving a new budget, the BART Board also voted to adopt a series of recommended early action strategies meant to enhance revenue and reduce costs. The action items are the result of an independent Bay Area Financial Efficiency Review commissioned by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) of BART, AC Transit, Caltrain, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SF Muni). The third-party review was called for by Senate Bill 63, which authorized a regional transportation sales tax to be placed on the November 2026 ballot.

The action items approved by the BART Board include:

• Improve fare compliance by further optimizing BART’s new fare gates and continuing with BART’s station hardening program
• Enhance parking revenue
• Lease fiber and communications assets
• Expand Clipper BayPass with more institutions and employers
• Improve speed and reliability of service through schedule changes, such as the planned improvements in August 2026
• Run shorter trains during lower-demand periods
• Examine contracts for opportunities to reduce costs, such as exploring changes to BART’s lease payments to SFO
• Study the benefits, challenges and opportunities to expand retail amenity partnerships

The Financial Efficiency Review found that between 2019 and 2025, BART reduced operating costs by more than $516M through service reductions, workforce controls, and operational efficiencies. The four Bay Area transit agencies that are part of the review saved more than $1B combined over the six-year period reviewed by the MTC.

Friday, Aug. 18, 2023 – It was yet another high ridership weekend on Saturday, Aug. 5, and Sunday, Aug. 6, as Outside Lands Music Festival, the Pistahan Parade and Festival, and other exciting events unfurled across the Bay Area. Saturday and Sunday saw 101,100 and 79,300 exits respectively meaning more than 180,000 people rode BART last weekend (that’s roughly the populations of Berkeley, Benicia, and El Cerrito combined).  

Looking for something to do this weekend? Keep reading and visit our BARTable website. We publish a weekly event roundup, BARTable This Weekend, which highlights happenings around the region as well as contests and sweepstakes.  

This weekend, BART will be running extra trains for these big events: the Star Wars Drone Show following the A’s game on Saturday, and the Zach Bryan concert at the Oakland Arena on Monday.  

Fri/Sat/Sun: Athletics vs. Orioles at the Oakland Coliseum (plus a Star Wars Drone Show!) 

The Oakland Athletics face the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – and each game offers a special themed promotion. For the Star Wars Drone Show on Saturday night, BART will be running extra trains to accommodate the anticipated crowds.  

Here’s the lowdown on this weekend’s games: Friday, Aug. 18 (6:40pm start time) is Jerry Garcia Night, a tribute to the legendary Bay Area musician. Saturday, Aug. 19 (6:07pm start time) is the Star Wars Drone Show (with a special Mark Kotsay Mandalorian Bobblehead on offer). And Sunday, Aug. 20 (1:07pm start time), will see a “t-shirt hoodie” giveaway for early arriving fans, presented by Cal State East Bay. 

It’s also First Responders Weekend at the Coliseum, with special prices, tailgates, jerseys, and more for first responders. (Promo info here.) 

Use our guide to taking BART to the game here. 

Sat/Sun: Take BART to the FOG India Day Parade and Fair in Fremont 

On Saturday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 20, the City of Fremont will host the largest India Day parade on the West Coast with more than 130 booths and 50,000 attendees. To get there, take BART to Fremont Station and travel about 0.6 miles to the event site – 39439 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont.  

The fair takes over the parkway on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm, and the parade runs Sunday from 11am to 1pm. Bollywood superstar Mahima Chaudhry will serve as the grand marshal. Keep your eyes out for the BART booth, where BART directors, staff, and officers will be on hand with free swag and information about the system and our programs. More info here. 

Mon: Singer-Songwriter Zach Bryan at the Oakland Arena on Monday  

Singer-songwriter Zach Bryan touches down in Oakland this Monday, Aug. 21, for a stop on his Burn, Burn, Burn tour at the Oakland Arena (take BART to Coliseum Station) with Trampled by Turtles and Levi Turner. The show starts at 8pm and doors open at 6:30pm.  

BART will be running extra trains Monday night to take concertgoers home. 

Explore BARTable Pools, Coves, and Lagoons 

Did you know you can take BART to swim? Cool off this weekend by visiting a BARTable swimming hole. We rounded them up (with directions) in this article.  

Win Tickets to the “Hippest Trip – The Soul Train Musical” World Premiere  

Win two tickets for you and your guest to the world premiere of "Hippest Trip -The Soul Train Musical" at A.C.T.'s Toni Rembe Theater in San Francisco on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 8pm. Five lucky winners will take the prize! Learn more about the Broadway-bound musical and enter the sweepstakes by clicking here.  

Weekend Read: The Couple Who Hosted a BART Wedding at Fairyland 

On May 27, 2023, Armin Samii and Marylee Williams married in a BART-themed wedding at Oakland’s Fairyland.  

The couple, who met on BART, said, “We wanted a venue that was easily accessible to our guests, and accessibility to us looks like BART. BART was where we had our first taste of not being bound by a car.”   

Read more about the wedding and see the colorful photos on bart.gov/news.  

Happy Riding this Weekend! 

We hope you enjoy your weekend adventures aboard our trains.    
 
Stay in touch by signing up for the BARTable This Week newsletter on the BARTable website – your one-stop shop for all things accessible by BART. You can also keep up with BARTable on Facebook and  Instagram. 

Friday, Sept. 22 – There’s lots do this weekend by way of BART, and we’re here to tell you all about it. Can you believe we're already at the end of September? 

Before we get to this weekend's events, we have some exciting news to share. Last weekend, we challenged the region to break the Saturday September 2022 ridership record of 500,000+ trips across all local transit agencies. We are thrilled to announce...we beat the record! On Saturday, Sept. 16, the Bay Area took a stupendous 600,000+ trips. Let's keep the momentum going. 

There are lots more Transit Month events on the horizon for the last week of September. On Friday, Sept. 29, join BART’s General Manager Bob Powers along with eight other regional transit leaders for a ride-along and social event. All Aboard with Transit CEOs begins at 5pm at the Palo Alto Caltrain Station/Transit Center. You don’t want to miss it! More info here. 

Bus bridge alert: This Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and Sept. 24, there will be hazardous tree removal and track work between Union City and Fremont stations. To provide workers with enough room to safely do the work, free buses will replace trains between Union City and Fremont stations. Riders in the area should anticipate delays of up to 30 minutes. There will be no Green Line service this weekend, meaning trains will not come as frequently as usual and transbay riders will need to transfer. Learn more about the bus bridge here and plan your trip using BART’s Trip Planner.  

Now keep reading to hear what’s happening this weekend.... 

For an in-depth listing of local events, visit the BARTable website. We publish a weekly event roundup, BARTable This Weekend, that highlights happenings around the region as well as cool contests and sweepstakes from our partners.     

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 23, 24, 25: Oakland Athletics play the Detroit Tigers at Oakland Coliseum 

Baseball season continues with three home games at Oakland Coliseum as the A’s face the Tigers. The Friday game (6:40pm start time) includes an Esteury Ruiz t-shirt giveaway; Saturday (1:07pm) is an MLB Network hat giveaway; and Sunday (1:07pm) is Kids Cheer Free, meaning A's fans ages 14 and under can root for the Green and Gold for free (For each regularly priced ticket purchase, adults can add up to two additional free tickets.)  

BART is the best way to get to the game. Read our guide on BARTable.  

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and Sept. 24: 26th Annual Lafayette Art and Wine Festival  

This weekend, one of Contra Costa County’s largest festivals takes over downtown Lafayette for a weekend of food, wine, beer, art, and music. The 26th Annual Lafayette Art and Wine Festival runs from 10am to 7pm on Saturday and 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Admission and parking are free, and BART is just a short walk from the fest.  

Keep your eyes out for the BART booth, where staff will be on-hand to answer questions and hand out merch.  

One Book One BART: BART launches fall ‘23 book club with acclaimed novel by Oakland-based author 

On Monday, Sept. 18, BART announced the start of the One Book One BART Fall ‘23 Book Club. The novel strategy for rider and employee engagement follows on the heels of our first book club, which debuted last Spring with Hua Hsu’s Pulitzer-winning Stay True.   

This fall – from September 18 to early November – we’ll be reading On the Rooftop (Ecco) by Oakland-based author Margaret Wilkerson Sexton. On the Rooftop is a novel about a mother whose dream of musical stardom for her three daughters collides with their own aspirations, set against a backdrop of a gentrifying 1950s Fillmore District in San Francisco.    

We’ve programmed a series of events for employees and the public throughout the fall, including an author talk at our headquarters in Oakland early November and a Train Read-In (think roving book club-style discussions + trivia on a moving train) in October. We hope to see you there! 

Stay up to date with events and sign up for the mailing list at bart.gov/bookclub. 

Go Shopping, Take BART: Check out vintage and consignment shops near BART stations  

There are many hip vintage and consignment shops near our stations. Get on BART and update your autumn wardrobe without having to spend a pretty penny.  

Check out BARTable’s roundup of some of our favorite vintage and consignment shops here.  

Happy Riding this Weekend!     

We hope you enjoy your weekend adventures aboard our trains. 

Stay in touch by signing up for the BARTable This Weekend newsletter on the BARTable website – your one-stop shop for all things accessible by BART. You can also keep up with BARTable on Facebook and  Instagram.  

Cosplayers dressed up as BART mascot Baylee pose for a photo during BART’s Meet the BART Anime Mascots event on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Powell St. Station. Photo courtesy of CP Productions.  

Riders spin the prize wheel, make buttons, and play games with Half Price Books at the One Book One BART Fall ‘23 Book Club kickoff event on Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza.  

There’s been a big decline in the number of riders who say they’ve witnessed fare evasion on BART. For our latest Quarterly Performance Report, we asked riders, “did they see anyone enter or exit the station without paying their fare today?” Only 17% of those questioned said they had, which is a drop of nearly 1/3 from the same period just a year ago when 25% of respondents said they had witnessed fare evasion. 

In the last 12 months, BART has installed Next Generation Fare Gates at more than 20 stations across the system. More stations are getting new gates every month. In just the last few days installation work began at Concord, El Cerrito Plaza, Glen Park, and San Leandro stations.

“The decline in fare evasion sightings is the latest indication that Next Generation Fare Gates are transforming the rider experience,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “We know it’s not possible to stop 100% of fare evasion, but we are seeing that these state-of-the-art, durable gates are proving themselves to be more resistant to fare evaders and are deterring unwanted activity on BART.”

As more stations receive new gates, BART’s crime rate has dropped. Overall crime on BART was down 17% last year even as BART served 2.6 million more trips than it did in 2023.

As fewer riders are seeing fare evasion, participation in the Clipper START discount program is skyrocketing. Clipper START trips on BART for the latest quarter more than doubled to 363,238 from only 150,282 a year ago. That’s a 141% increase. Clipper START provides a 50% discount on Bay Area transit to eligible riders who have an annual household income of 200% of the federal poverty level or less. 

BART has heavily promoted enrollment in Clipper START throughout the process of installing new fare gates. BART is on track to have Next Generation Fare Gates at all 50 stations by the end of this year.

BART wants to hear your design ideas for the 16th St. Mission BART Plazas.  

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 6pm to 8pm, BART is hosting a Community Open House at the 1950 Mission Street Community Room.  BART invites the community to join in this collaborative open house where together we will reimagine the 16th Mission BART transit plazas located at the heart of the 16th & Mission corridor. 

The plazas are a canvas that are poised to be activated, more welcoming, and safer.  

We want to hear from you: What's working and what’s not? How can we reimagine and enliven the space to make it safer and friendlier? 

Join us at the open house to share your thoughts and ask BART staff your questions. 

BART has invested money to conduct this outreach portion of the project.  Additional funding will need to be secured for design and construction of a final plan.

This May the Fourth, BART invites the public on an epic journey through a galaxy far, far away. 

On Sunday, May 4, BART will transform a train into a special starship to set the scene for an epic 90-minute ride in celebration of May the Fourth. Bring friends or travel solo. Either way, you’ll leave with an alliance of like-minded pals. 

Travelers should dress in apparel fitting for a May the Fourth celebration (please leave the blasters on your home planets). Prizes will be awarded to the best costumes. The admiral of our ship will look kindly on you for incorporating BART into your outfit. You can also expect live music, competitions, trivia, May the 4th decor, and plenty of surprises. 

The voyage itinerary: We will depart MacArthur Spaceport at 4pm and make the jump into hyperspace to reach Pittsburg/Bay Point, a space station on the Outer Rim of our system. Our ship will then turn around and make its way back to MacArthur Spaceport with an estimated arrival time of 5:30pm. Pre-boarding will start at 3pm.  

Our ship will make no stops for the duration of the 90-minute ride, so attendees should eat and use the restroom before departure. Artificial gravity will be provided for passenger comfort.  

Space on our vehicle is limited, and reservations are required via Eventbrite. There is no cost to attend other than paying your BART fare.  

When: Sunday, May 4, 4pm to 5:30pm 

Check-in opens at 3pm. Arrive no later than 3:30pm. 

Where: MacArthur Station 

Why: May the 4th be with you 

RSVP: Reserve your spot on Eventbrite – bartmaythefourth.eventbrite.com 

The e-ticket you receive from Eventbrite is NOT your BART fare. Every participant must have a Clipper card. Make sure you have at least $7.10 (BART’s excursion fare) on the card. 

BART is experimenting with hosting events on trains, including the sold-out Valentraine speed dating mixer in February, as a way to engage our community, foster connections, and encourage riding BART. Transit connects us to places, but can also connect us to each other. Learn more about fun stuff happening at BART at bart.gov/fun.  

“Your Turn" by Aaron De La Cruz, Powell St. Station

Recently constructed canopies along San Francisco’s Market Street are protecting station escalators and helping to beautify the busy downtown corridor with four site-specific artworks that reflect the neighborhoods around them.   

The canopies are being constructed as part of the San Francisco Station Canopy Project, happening in tandem with BART’s San Francisco Station Escalator Replacement project, which is installing and replacing escalators at Embarcadero, Montgomery St., Powell St., and Civic Center stations. 

The new canopies aren't just coverings for the escalators. Each structure is equipped with LED lighting, multiple security cameras, digital screens that display real-time transit information, and motorized gates that allow the entrances to be locked at street level when stations are closed. In addition to protecting the new escalators from wear and tear, the canopies provide an extra layer of station security and cleanliness, all while brightening Market Street with placemaking artwork that subtly reveals itself as you travel between station and street.  

Incorporating art was an important piece of the canopy project, as was ensuring the imagery resonated with the people who live along the corridor.  

“It was crucial to not view Market Street as a monolith during this process,” said BART Art Program Manager Jennifer Easton. “The street has different communities and parts to it, and that was a key aspect to convey with this project." 

Four artists were selected to create the art after a national call hosted by the Art Program: Norie Sato (Embarcadero Station), Rosana Castrillo Díaz (Montgomery St. Station), Aaron De La Cruz (Powell St. Station), and Ron M. Saunders (Civic Center Station). Easton assembled jurors from different sections of Market Street to make sure the neighborhoods were represented authentically. 

The process of translating the artworks onto the surface of the fiberglass-reinforced plastic canopies is a saga unto itself. BART worked with VIA – A Perkins Eastman Studio to develop a method that would maintain the integrity of the artists’ original designs while ensuring the works would last for decades in their outdoor environments.  

“There was a lot of study and analysis to get this right. I don’t believe anyone has done something quite like this for a transit project,” said architect Steve Line of VIA. 

VIA’s final designs utilized fiberglass-reinforced plastic that is extremely durable but also pliable enough to achieve the gentle curved shape of the canopy undersides.  

“First, we used software to analyze the 2D images of the art and surface map them. Then we created a 3D file that recreated the different tonal qualities of the pieces,” Line explained.  

Next came the process of bringing the 3D files into the physical world. Technicians began by spraying clay on a large metal pool the same shape as the canopies then using computer coding to instruct a house-sized milling machine to etch the art onto the surface. This clay relief was layered with strong carbon fibers, similar to those used in rocket ships, and vacuum sealed. Once cured, technicians grinded or sandblasted the surfaces to smooth perfection. 

Let’s hear from the artists.

Embarcadero Station – “We Touch Here,” Norie Sato

Artist Norie Sato wants her canopy artwork to inspire “people to pay attention to the balance between humans, the land, and the water.”  

Her artwork features a fingerprint pressed between flowing water and an aerial view of the Embarcadero neighborhood.  

“I was really interested in the effect of human building and intervention on the land, and also in how the human plays the intermediary between the built environment, which the map symbolizes, and the water, which encircles the land in many ways,” Sato said, speaking from her Seattle studio.  

For Sato, transit plays a crucial role in the fine balance between humanity and the natural world.  

“[Transit is] very accessible; it’s available to anyone, and it’s also ecologically conscious because it carries many people at one time,” she said.  

Sato spoke of the “democratization that occurs” when riding public transportation: “We all ride the same train, and it doesn’t matter who we are or how much money we have, yet we all get to the same place.”  

Montgomery St. Station – “Untitled,” Rosana Castrillo Díaz 

San Francisco-based artist Rosana Castrillo Díaz’s first thought when assigned Montgomery St. Station was, “How fun!” 

Díaz said she heavily researched the station and its surroundings before creating her design, which features a flowing stream of water. What stood out most deeply to her about Montgomery St. Station, she said, is its bubbling, effusive energy.   

“My imagination immediately went to water, and water as this fluid element that we all possess that has so much energy,” she said.  

Díaz said she hopes her piece projects the station’s vigor and lifelines, but also a sense of calm.  

“I think of all these people coming in and out of the station as drops of water,” she said. “Like water, they are fluid, vital, essential.” 

Powell St. Station – “Your Turn,” Aaron De La Cruz 

Aaron De La Cruz, a San Francisco artist, was “in shock” when he learned he was one of the four artists selected to create a canopy piece.  

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “It feels like I won a gold medal in the Olympics.” 

De La Cruz, like Díaz, was inspired by his station’s energetic spark.  

“I went with lots of signature curl movements in my piece that, for me, kind of represent the trolley coming down and spinning in front of the station,” he said.  

He also wanted to create a piece that was characteristically “funky.”  

“I really wanted to do something to address that there’s some of us in the Bay who are here and not interested in changing things,” he said. “I want to tell those stories and really preserve the funk of San Francisco.”  

“For example, the bold lines in the artwork represent the people, sounds, and places from the past that established so much of what San Francisco is today,” he continued. “That culture is so prevalent that it ripples outward through new generations represented by the thin outer lines on the forms. The preservation of the past while building the future is why I titled the piece ‘Your Turn.’” 

Civic Center Station – “Dragonfly Wing,” Ron M. Saunders 

When it comes to public art projects, artist Ron M. Saunders knows, “You just have to go with it.” 

The fine art photographer said he and his fellow artists are interested “in this kind of work because it gives something to the public and brings a little bit of beauty into harsh environments.” 

Saunders’ piece is a closeup of a dragonfly wing. Dragonflies, he said, speak to “transformation, adaptability, and growth,” much like the ever-changing neighborhood where Civic Center Station is located.  

“The Tenderloin was founded during the Gold Rush,” he said. “It’s always changing, just like a dragonfly can change directions quickly.”  

Saunders said he’s never created an art piece “this big,” but he relished the challenge.   

“It’s just exciting to work on a project of this scale,” he said. “There’s a power in having art in stations. It forces people to slow down.”  

The San Francisco Station Canopy Project, which was funded by voter-approved Measure RR, San Francisco Prop A, and state Prop 1A, is happening in parallel with the San Francisco Station Escalator Replacement Project. To learn more about the canopy and escalators project and view timelines, click here and here.  

To learn more about the BART Art Program, click here. 

San Francisco Fleet Week is October 4 through 12 this year, and public transit is a great way to enjoy the air shows, Parade of Ships, and other special events across the city. Plan your visit with BARTable’s guide to SF Fleet Week.

The hallmark experiences of the annual celebration are air shows held along the San Francisco waterfront. BART will be running longer trains for the air shows on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11. The shows are noon to 4pm. 

Muni is running extra service. Find their service plan here.

Here's how to reach the air show viewing areas with BART + Muni:  

Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf: Take BART to Embarcadero Station and use Exit A1 to transfer to the Muni F Market streetcar or bus. 

Crissy Field, the Presidio: Take BART to Embarcadero Station and use Exit B1. Walk to Drumm St. and California St. and board the Presidio Go Downtown Route.

Fort Mason, Marina Green, Crissy Field: Take BART to Montgomery St and use Exit A1. Walk to Kearny St and board the Muni 30 Stockton bus. 

Fort Mason (option 2): Take BART to 16th St. Mission and use Exit B to board the Muni 49 Van Ness bus.  

Planning and paying for your trip 

Plan your door-to-door trip using BART’s Trip Planner. You can also check Real Time Departures for the stations you use.   

Parking at BART stations (except Milpitas and Berryessa stations) is free on weekends.   
 
Every BART station has restrooms except Pittsburg Center, 12th St./Oakland City Center, Civic Center, 16th St. Mission, 24th St. Mission, and the Oakland International Airport Station (Coliseum Station has a restroom).   
 
All Bay Area transit, including BART, accepts contactless debit or credit cards and mobile payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay for adult fare payment. No setup is required. Each person needs their own card or device. Clipper cards are also accepted.    
 
Riders who use more than one transit agency in a single trip will only be charged full fare on the first operator. A transfer discount of up to $2.85 will apply on any additional transit agency the rider uses within a two-hour window. Transfer discounts are calculated automatically using Tap and Ride or Clipper for accounts that have been upgraded to the next generation system (click here to upgrade your card).    

BART will be accepting applications for membership on the BART Police Citizen Review Board (BPCRB) from Monday, July 8, 2024 - Thursday, August 8, 2024. This appointment will be made by BART Director Melissa Hernandez, District 5.

As a volunteer of the BPCRB, members work to increase the public's confidence in BART's policing services by:

• Reviewing, recommending, and monitoring the implementation of changes to police policies, procedures, and practices
• Receiving citizen allegations of on-duty police misconduct
• Advising Board of Directors, General Manager, Independent Police Auditor, and Police Chief
• Participating in recommending appropriate disciplinary action
• Meeting periodically with representatives of the BART Police associations
• Participating in community outreach

Member Qualifications 

Members must:

• Reside within Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, or San Mateo counties
• Be fair-minded and objective
• Have demonstrated commitment to community service
• Not be currently employed in a law enforcement capacity, either sworn or non-sworn 
• Not be a relative of current or former BART Police Department personnel
• Have no felony convictions

Duration of Service

All appointments to the BPCRB are for a term of two years. There are no term limits. 

How to Apply

To learn more about the BPCRB and/or how to apply for appointment, visit our website at bart.gov/about/bod/advisory/crb. Access the digital application here and the print application below. 

Please send an email to [email protected] or call (510) 464-6083 with any questions.

Application period closes on Thursday, August 8, 2024

Documents

BPCRB Recruitment Flyer (.doc)

Application for BPCRB - District 5 (.doc)

BPCRB General Information (.doc)