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BART is investing in small improvements that make immense differences to pedestrians and bicyclists entering and exiting our stations, and the Ashby BART Bicycle Access Improvement Project is case in point.  

The project was completed in December 2024 on time and on budget and provides safer bicycle connections to BART from the west and east thanks to a new bike lane that closes a gap in Berkeley’s bike network between two major thoroughfares. The project also installed directional curb ramps on a highly trafficked entrance to align curbs with the intersection’s crosswalks.   

It's not just BART riders benefitting from these improvements, but everyone using the streets around the station, whether pedestrian, cyclist, or driver.  

“It’s always satisfying seeing what you worked so hard for being put to good use," said Matthew Hembd, BART Resident Engineer on the project. “I feel very proud to have taken part in something that has left such a positive and lasting impression on the commuters and people of Berkeley.” 

To execute the improvements, BART worked in collaboration with the City of Berkeley, which owns and maintains the roads and crossings around the station. In the spring, the city began construction on crossing improvements for two major streets, Adeline and MLK Jr. Way.  

“A project like this highlights what great things can be done here at BART when we all work together,” Hembd added.   

Watch a video of the bike lane here 

BART’s Maintenance Department played a key role in executing the vision – from grinding and demolition to spreading and compacting the asphalt – with minimal disruption to the public and a fast timeline.  

“Along with BART’s painters and grounds crews, they were able to transform the area into a place that is much more attractive and modern looking, which many people will appreciate for years to come,” cheered Hembd.  

Heath Maddox, BART Bicycle Access Program Manager and a former North Oakland resident, knows firsthand how significantly cyclists and pedestrians will benefit from these upgrades. For five years, before his career took him to BART, Maddox commuted to and from Ashby Station. At the same time, his children were in preschool across from the station.  

"Our family was doing a lot of traversing of BART property to pick up and drop off kids, usually via cargo bike, so the need to improve bike entries and exits on the west side was very apparent to me," Maddox said. “I always thought that these improvements could be easily legitimized with fairly modest changes to circulation using paint and signage, but even as a city bike/pedestrian planner, for some reason it never crossed my mind to suggest to BART that they do something about it. Then, years later, I found myself in a position – perhaps the position – to spur action from the inside. The rest, including all the great work by BART’s Matthew Hembd and Mariana Parreiras, is history.”  

A sea of BART holiday sweaters swarmed the plaza at Rockridge Station for BART’s SweaterFest ‘24 this past Saturday. 

Joy was in abundance as hundreds of people descended upon the station to celebrate the season with a BART twist. And it wasn’t just humans who came to party with the Bay’s biggest transit fans – a spirited snowman, an energetic gingerbread man, and even Chewbacca made appearances.  

Charlie Barreda & Friends played holiday jams for the crowd and Full Belly Bakery served delicious desserts as attendees bought their BART holiday merch from Railgoods and explored the myriad activities stationed around the plaza.  

BART fans young and old crafted wreaths with old paper tickets, took photos in front of a BART holiday wonderland backdrop, got a fresh stamp for their BART Stamp Passports, and wrote odes to BART at the poetry booth.

Didn’t make it to SweaterFest? 

There’s still time to buy a sweater, scarf, and beanie (the sweater vests are sold out). Head to Railgoods.com to get your BART holiday swag! 

UPDATE December 29, 2023

The next phase of work at Bay Fair will start on January 15th and will last 4 weeks. During construction, all pedestrian detours will be accessible. Construction will take place in two locations (see map below): 

1. In the passenger loading zone, the accessible loading zone will be replaced and the regular pathway to the passenger loading zone will be blocked by fencing. To get to the passenger loading walk through the bus area, towards Bus Bay C1. A temporary crosswalk will be provided from there to the passenger loading zone. 
2. On the pathway towards the Bayfair Center. A segment of sidewalk will be replaced between the station and the first crosswalk. A pedestrian detour will be provided from the station elevator, across a small parking area, and around a landscaped area to connect to the existing crosswalk.  

No construction will take place in the bus area during this phase. 

The Accessibility Improvement Program (AIP) will improve accessibility in and around BART stations to better meet the needs of people with disabilities, including replacement or upgrade of ramps, sidewalks and accessible paths, bus and passenger loading zones, as well as handrails, wall protrusion detection, wheelchair-accessible phones, TTY devices, courtesy phones, and elevator lobby lighting.

The entire project will be done in phases with full completion by Spring 2024. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve access to the BART Station. 

UPDATE December 7, 2023:

Construction for the next phase of the Bay Fair Station Accessibility Improvements Project will begin on Friday, December 8, 2023 and last for approximately 3 weeks. 

During this phase, buses will return to their permanent locations (see list below for locations and map below). Construction will take place on sidewalks in the parking lot just south of the Police substation. All pedestrian detours will be ADA accessible. 

AC Transit buses and shuttles will be located to the following bus bays. 

• Line 10 to Hayward BART: A2
• Line 10 to San Leandro BART: A1
• Line 28 to Hayward BART: A4
• Line 28 to San Leandro BART: B3
• Line 35 to Juvenile Justice Center: C2
• Line 35 to Foothill Square: C3
• Line 40: B2
• Line 93: A3
• Line 97: A6
• Line 706: B1
• Line 801 to Fremont BART: A2
• Line 801 to San Leandro BART: A1
• Alameda County Sustainability Shuttle: C4
• San Leandro Flex Rides: C4

Temporary wayfinding signage will be posted to direct customers.

The Accessibility Improvement Program (AIP) will improve accessibility in and around BART stations to better meet the needs of people with disabilities, including replacement or upgrade of ramps, sidewalks and accessible paths, bus and passenger loading zones, as well as handrails, wall protrusion detection, wheelchair-accessible phones, TTY devices, courtesy phones, and elevator lobby lighting.

The entire project will be done in phases with full completion by Spring 2024. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve access to the BART Station. 

UPDATE November 9, 2023:

Construction for the next phase of work on the Bay Fair Station Accessibility Improvements Project will begin on Thursday, November 16, 2023 and last for approximately 3 weeks. 

During this second phase, bus bays B1, B2, B3, and C4, will be closed. All pedestrian detours will be ADA accessible. AC Transit buses and shuttles will be relocated to Bus Aisle A and Bus Aisle C as follows:

• Line 10 to Hayward BART: A2
• Line 10 to San Leandro BART: A1
• Line 28: A4
• Line 35: C3
• Line 40: B4
• Line 93: A3
• Line 97: C1
• Line 706: A0
• Line 801 to Fremont BART: A2
• Line 801 to San Leandro BART: A1
• Alameda County Sustainability Shuttle: A0
• San Leandro Flex: A0

Temporary wayfinding signage will be posted to direct customers. All pedestrian detours will be accessible.

The Accessibility Improvement Program (AIP) will improve accessibility in and around BART stations to better meet the needs of people with disabilities, including replacement or upgrade of ramps, sidewalks and accessible paths, bus and passenger loading zones, as well as handrails, wall protrusion detection, wheelchair-accessible phones, TTY devices, courtesy phones, and elevator lobby lighting.

The entire project will be done in phases with full completion by Spring 2024. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve access to the BART Station. 

NOTE: The information below was originally posted on October 6, 2023

Construction for the first phase of the Bay Fair Station Accessibility Improvements Project will begin on Monday, October 16, 2023 and last for approximately 5 weeks. 

During this first phase, the first aisle of buses (shown in map as Aisle A), will be closed. Pedestrian access to Elgin Street, south of the station, will be available by walking down Bus Aisle B. The pedestrian detour will be ADA accessible. AC Transit buses will be relocated to the Bus Aisle B and Bus Aisle C as follows:

• Line 10 to Hayward BART: B3
• Line 10 to San Leandro BART: B2
• Line 28: B1
• Line 35: C3
• Line 40: B4
• Line 93: A0
• Line 97: C1
• Line 706: B1
• Line 801 to Fremont BART: B3
• Line 801 to San Leandro BART: B2

The Alameda County Sustainability Shuttle will remain in its current location of Bus Bay C4. Temporary wayfinding signage will be posted to direct customers.

The Accessibility Improvement Program (AIP) will improve accessibility in and around BART stations to better meet the needs of people with disabilities, including replacement or upgrade of ramps, sidewalks and accessible paths, bus and passenger loading zones, as well as handrails, wall protrusion detection, wheelchair-accessible phones, TTY devices, courtesy phones, and elevator lobby lighting.

The entire project will be done in phases with full completion by Spring 2024. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve access to the BART Station. 

On December 28, 2023, BART opened the new fare gates at West Oakland station. 

Installation of the prototypes of BART’s next generation fare gates is scheduled to begin the week of December 11 at West Oakland Station. The installation process is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete and the new fare gates will be open for use before Jan 1, 2024. 

During those two weeks a construction barrier will be built around the existing station gate array. Riders will use two temporary accessible gates to enter and exit West Oakland Station.  During peak hours, riders should expect lines to form. We advise people to arrive a few minutes early.  

Both gates are located next to the Station Agent Booth, one on each side. When facing the booth from the non-paid area of the station, the fare gate to your right is used to enter the station and the fare gate to your left is used to exit. 

Additionally, a carpet has been installed immediately before the entrance to each fare gate, to make these two gates easier to locate for riders with visual impairments. The removal of the old gates and installation of the prototypes will not impact train service. 

The prototypes being installed at West Oakland will help us to test the new gates in a station environment with riders. These are not the final version of the fare gates that will be installed throughout the rest of the system. The development team is researching the latest door-braking technology and will add that enhanced capability to the fare gates in the coming months.

All BART stations will have new fare gates by the end of 2025. You can learn more about BART’s Next Generation Fare Gate project at bart.gov/about/projects/fare-gate. Riders can provide feedback about the new gates at bart.gov/comments.

BART General Manager Bob Powers released a statement on new fare gates: 

“As a transportation system, we take tremendous pride in saying our riders are what runs BART. Among the world’s transit agencies, BART relies the most on rider fares; they are directly responsible for funding our operations. These new, state-of-the-art fare gates will protect against fare evasion, expand access to transit-dependent riders, and reduce system downtime due to maintenance, which helps boost investment in BART’s long-term growth.”

BART Police Chief Kevin Franklin also applauded the unveiling in a statement: 

“We welcome the new fare gates starting at West Oakland and its future expansion to other stations. These stronger, higher gates will limit fare evasions through self-enforced fare payments, keep riders safe and engaged to return to BART, and have police officers focused on more serious situations that require emergency services.”

BART’s Safe and Clean Plan focuses on attracting riders to return to the system by introducing the transit system to the 21st century. BART is making dramatic improvements, from new payment method systems to infrastructure renovations, to guarantee customers a clean, safer ride.