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Following robust public outreach and technical and business case analysis, the BART Board of Directors voted to advance the Link 21 Program as a standard-gauge rail project that is part of the California State Rail Plan and a series of projects to be advanced by the state, while seeking federal funding. It will also be considered by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) Board on June 18, 2025. 

At the core of Link21 is a new transbay passenger train crossing between Oakland and San Francisco that would transform train travel options in the Northern California Megaregion. The decision to use standard-gauge tracks like most other inner-city and regional rail systems across the county, as opposed to BART’s unique broad-gauge tracks, will complement the state’s vision for a connected train network throughout the Bay Area, the northern California Megaregion, and ultimately the entire state.  Standard-gauge can accommodate modern, zero-emission passenger trains and the new crossing will improve regional rail connections and build upon ongoing rail investments across Northern California. It also opens the door to compete for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor ID Program to plan and fund future intercity passenger rail projects.

The day-to-day management of the Link21 Project will now be managed by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), in coordination with the State Transportation Agency. BART staff will continue to provide support, as will the other standard-gauge rail operators who could potentially operate through the new crossing, and other train facility owners throughout the Megaregion. 

“This change will help ensure effective coordination and maintain momentum as the program moves into its next phase,” said Rob Padgette, Managing Director of CCJPA. “As the project progresses, CCJPA, BART, and other key stakeholders will continue to collaborate to make sure Link21 contributes to the region’s long-term transportation and climate goals.”

Over the next several years, stakeholders will move forward with defining a Proposed Project for the new standard-gauge rail crossing between Oakland and San Francisco and advancing the environmental review, including identifying alternatives and outreach. A funding plan will be developed in concert with the state and federal government to advance Link21 and other related projects through the Corridor ID Program. 

The Link21 Program is a generational transportation initiative that is called for in two separate Bay Area regional measures (Regional Measure 3 and BART Measure RR), the San Francisco Bay Area (Bay Area) long-term transportation plan (Plan Bay Area 2050), and the California State Rail Plan. This project is designed to enhance the passenger experience, expand rail capacity, and contribute to the overall economic and environmental health of the Northern California Megaregion. 

Photo courtesy of Bike East Bay. 

Get ready to pedal into all the fun of Bike Month this Bike to Wherever Day on Thursday, May 14. 

Whether you explore a new scenic trail, glide through your neighborhood on a warm day, or roll out with your whole crew on a group ride, BART is celebrating the joy a bicycle brings by hosting Energizer Stations at various stations (see below) across the system. BARTable is also proud to partner with Bike East Bay for the special day. 

How do I find my closest Energizer Station?

Energizer Stations are volunteer community-run hubs where 10,000+ residents will pedal to visit, pick up bags and celebrate the joy of biking. Bike East Bay hosts a digital interactive map on their website where you can plan out a ride to your favorite stations on May 14.

BART Energizer Stations include: Castro Valley, Dublin/Pleasanton, Fremont, Hayward, Lake Merritt, MacArthur, North Berkeley, Rockridge, San Leandro, South Hayward, Union City, Warm Springs, West Dublin/Pleasanton and West Oakland.

Bike to Wherever Day: Frequently Asked Questions

Is it Bike to WORK Day or Bike to WHEREVER Day? 

It's both! Until 2020 Bike to Work Day encouraged commuters to ditch their car and hop on their bike to work. In 2026 work looks very different for many people so we hope you will take this opportunity to ride wherever on May 14.

What is the deal with the Pledge to Ride?

When you sign up, you’ll receive a map of Energizer Stations, bike offers and discounts, and a limited edition 2026 messenger bag. It's also one of the ways that Bike East Bay records ridership on May 14. Pledge to ride here.

What is a Bike Champion of the Year (BCOY)?

Every year, each of the nine Bay Area Counties selects their own Bike Champion of the Year. These champions are recognized for their dedication to promoting bicycling as a primary mode of transportation and for their ability to inspire others in their local communities. Nominations are made in March, with the BCOY awarded at the beginning of May as part of the Bike Month celebration. Learn about the 2026 Bike Champions and see who was selected to represent your county. 

I heard there was a Bay Area Bike Challenge happening in May – how do I join?

Through Ride with GPS, log your rides in May towards the collective goal of 175,000 miles as part of the Bay Area Bike Challenge. The more you ride and log the more prizes you are eligible to win. Ride with GPS log information can be found here.

How do I learn more about bikes on BART?

Find everything you need to know about bringing your bike on BART at bart.gov/bikes.

The track shutdown that had been planned for Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22 between Rockridge, MacArthur, and 19th Street stations has been postponed until October. The next shutdown weekend for the replacement of track switches in the core of the system in Oakland will be Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20.

The postponement will allow BART to further evaluate lessons learned from the first shutdown weekend, which occurred in June. BART’s goal remains to minimize short term impacts on riders by maximizing work efficiency. Temporary shutdowns create a safe workspace for track crews while providing a massive boost in productivity thanks to uninterrupted 24/7 work. It’s still anticipated the rebuilding work will happen on 18 non-consecutive weekends over the next three years. 

This project will benefit riders for decades to come by improving the reliability of the core of BART. The work is part of the Measure RR rebuilding program, which is revitalizing the system’s core infrastructure. Learn more about the project here.

The track shutdowns that had been planned for two weekends in October and November between Rockridge, MacArthur, and 19th Street stations have been postponed until next year. 

The postponement will allow BART to focus on other priorities to improve reliability and limit future disruptions. We also continue to evaluate lessons learned from the first shutdown weekend in June, as we plan to adjust our approach and execution. BART’s goal remains to minimize short term impacts on riders by maximizing work efficiency. Temporary shutdowns create a safe workspace for track crews while providing a massive boost in productivity thanks to uninterrupted 24/7 work. This project will benefit riders for decades to come by improving the reliability of the core of BART.

It’s still anticipated the rebuilding work will happen on 18 non-consecutive weekends over the next three years starting in 2025. This work is part of the Measure RR rebuilding program, which is revitalizing the system’s core infrastructure.

Pittsburg Center Station recently had new Next Generation Fare Gates installed at the station, which required a slight shift in the positioning of the faregates compared to their previous location. As a result, the tactile guideway for blind and low vision riders also needs to be shifted.

In the interim, when entering the station, blind and low vision passengers should follow the carpet just north of the tactile guideway to lead you through the new accessible faregate. When exiting the station, follow the yellow directional bar tile pathway until you come across a carpet, at which point you will follow the carpet to the right, which leads directly through the wider, accessible faregate to exit the station.

 The latest work comes after BART has successfully installed Next Generation Fare Gates at 22 other stations across the system. All 50 BART stations will have new fare gates by the end of 2025. You can learn more about BART’s Next Generation Fare Gate project here.

BART crews will perform rail replacement work in the Transbay Tube over the weekend of October 18-19, requiring late night and morning single tracking and temporary service adjustments.

BART's Trip Planner has been updated to include the special schedule and help people plan their trips.

Saturday night, October 18:

Trains will single track through the Transbay Tube beginning around 12:30 am, with delays of 10-15 minutes expected. 

Sunday morning, October 19:

Single tracking will continue from start of service at about 8 am to 10:30 am. During this time, BART will operate a three-line, 30-minute schedule to all stations to mitigate delays. There will be no Red or Green Line service until 10:30 am which means some riders will need to take an Orange line train and transfer to complete their trip. Normal 20-minute, 5-line service will resume at 10:30 am on Sunday.

This article was posted on October 8, 2025.

On Thursday, July 18, BART will begin replacing the existing fare gates on the concourse level of Civic Center Station with new Next Generation Fare Gates.

The work at Civic Center will happen at the array, or set of gates, closest to Seventh Street entrance on the north end of the concourse level of the station (Array 1 in the map). A temporary barrier will be installed to provide a safe workspace for the installation team as well as to protect riders from construction. Installing this new array is expected to take several weeks to complete. The station’s other two fare gate arrays (Array 2 and Array3) will remain open during the installation work. 

Once the new array is installed, BART will move forward with replacing all remaining old fare gates at Civic Center Station, one array at a time.  In April, crews successfully installed a new fare gate at the elevator entrance on the Civic Center Station platform.

Get more details on Next Generation Fare Gates at our project page. Riders can provide feedback about the new gates at bart.gov/comments.