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Note: Janet Bennett’s tile murals have come to define the character of BART's Mission District stations, and yet, in the fifty-plus years since the tiles were placed, her contribution has gone unattributed...This Women’s History Month, BART is honored to bring forward the story of the artworks as well as that of the wonderful midcentury artist who made them.

BART will be installing plaques at 16th St. Mission and 24th St. Mission stations to recognize Bennett as the artist behind the character-defining murals. 

Janet Bennett, the artist behind the tile murals at 16th St. and 24th St. Mission stations, seated in front of one of her paintings in her New York City home. 

Every day, thousands of people pass through BART’s Mission District stations in San Francisco. As they enter the fare gates, walk along the concourse toward the stairs, then onto the platform to await their trains, they are walking through history.  

It’s a history wrought by many hands over more than five decades: the planners who mapped the system, the architects and engineers who drafted the plans, and the workers who sweated day by day to construct a transit space that would function not just during their lifetimes, but the lifetimes of their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on.  

BART stations serve a practical purpose, of course. But they are not solely utilitarian spaces. Stories are woven into their floors, their trackways, and their walls. These individual components speak together and alone, and if you take a moment to pause and investigate, they might reveal the stories they contain. 

Artist Janet Bennett, now 95 years old and long retired, is a protagonist in the story of 16th St. and 24th St. stations. During the construction of these transit spaces, Bennett was hired by the station architect, Hertzka and Knowles, to design the striking tile murals on the stations' concourse and platform walls. Next time you’re passing through, look around and you’ll find you are surrounded by her tile artworks, from the snaking yellow formations on the platform at 24th St. to the tree-like waves of green and blue that dance on the concourse at 16th St.  

“It’s gratifying that these works are still a part of people’s lives,” said Bennett, speaking from her New York City home. “They’ve gone through different lifespans so to speak. I’m happy that my tiles remain and that they’ll be there quite a while longer.” 

Bennett's tile murals pictured on the concourses at 16th St. (top photo) and 24th St. (bottom photo). 

Bennett’s tile murals have come to define the character of the Mission stations, and yet, in the fifty-plus years since the tiles were placed, her contribution has gone unattributed. Said Jennifer Easton, BART’s Art Program Manager: “As a woman and someone who works with artists all the time, it’s so common to see women artists obscured throughout history.” BART learned about Bennett and her connection to the Mission stations after her daughter, Maria McDonald, called BART Customer Services and told them that “my 95-year-old mother named Janet Bennett should be credited as the designer of the ceramic tile artworks at 16th and 24th St. stations.” She added: “It means a lot to her.” BART verified McDonald's claim via 1971 news clippings from local papers.

This Women’s History Month, BART is honored to bring forward the story of the artworks as well as that of the wonderful midcentury artist who made them.  

“She really is a creative genius in my estimation,” said McDonald.   

When Bennett was working as a staff and consultant for architectural firms and corporations in the 60s and 70s, she “was constantly breaking the glass ceiling and unconsciously taking on the lead in roles usually reserved for men,” her daughter said.  

Bennett acknowledged that during that period, she was the only woman working for these major architecture firms outside of the secretarial staff. Even before then, when she was a student at Cranbrook, an art and design school in Michigan, Bennett said “no one expected that I would be anything but an architect’s wife.” 

“It didn’t bother me at the time,” she said. “I was just doing my thing.”  

(A relevant side note: Bennett also designed the famous mosaic passages at LAX, and her boss at the time, Charles Kratka, was long credited as the artist behind the works. Bennett set the record straight in 2007 after reading an obituary for Kratka that named him as the designer. She is now widely credited as the artist behind the mosaics. The artistic similarities between the LAX murals and the BART works certainly reinforce her claim.) 

When the station architect contacted Bennett about designing the tile murals, she said she was “very, very excited.” Much anticipation and curiosity swirled around this new “Space Age” transit project, and Bennett was intrigued by the idea of leaving her mark on the system.

Upon accepting the assignment, Bennett got to work in her San Francisco studio outlining on paper the concepts for the murals. Once the initial designs were greenlit by the architect, Bennett executed the working drawings, which indicated the placement of every single tile. It was a lengthy and painstaking process.  

Bennett said the designs at each station intentionally contrast with one another – there’s the dry, sunny feeling at 24th St. with its terra cottas and yellows and tans, and then the cooler tone of 16th St. with tiles of olive and gray and yellow green.  

“One mural is more earthy, while the other is more sylvan,” she said. “Those concepts helped me create the overall program.” 

Bennett’s artworks often reference “something from life,” and in many cases, she lets the colors and their relationships to one another inform her pieces. For 24th St., she referenced the vibrant hues of the Mission District and its close cultural ties to Latin America. The horizontal tiles that wrap around the core structures on the platform represent a yellow serpent, she said. 

At 16th St., Bennett was influenced by visits to Marin County, its singular “forests, grasslands, and water.”  

"Overall, the concern was that the colors worked well together,” Bennett said. “Part of it was motivated by a feeling that I wanted to express." 

Bennett frequently traveled to Marin to meet with the tile maker for the project, the historic Heath Ceramics, which was and still is known for its unique glazes and handcrafted tiles. Heath Ceramics was founded by Edith Heath in 1948 in Sausalito, and its architectural tile line had gained acclaim with many architects throughout California by the time Bennett was working in the industry. Bennett said she collaborated closely with Heath to create the color palette for the BART station tile glazes, which she believes were custom made for the project. 

Ceramic tiles are expensive, but you will notice that many BART stations incorporate them. That's because the material is durable, easy to clean, and conveys a sense of handcraftmanship, much like the use of wood, unique concretes, marble, and other unique architectural finishes used in the early BART stations. Bennett’s longstanding tile murals are a testament to the durability and timelessness of these materials. 

The large ten-inch tiles Bennett used for her project added to its cost, she said. Because they were so large, the tiles sometimes warped during the firing process and had to be tossed out. 

The architects of the stations also had something of a bone to pick with Bennett’s decision to use a horizontal tile layout on the core structures of the platform at 24th St.  

“The architects said the horizontal tiles complicated the overall layout, and therefore were too time-consuming and costly to use. They said I should change my working drawings,” Bennett said. “I countered that it would cost more to redraw them." 

“So,” she said triumphantly, “the horizontal tiles remain.”  

After perfecting the drawings and selecting the last tiles, Bennett finally handed the project to the tile layers. The workers installed the tiles one at a time with special care and attention. Their skilled work in tandem with Bennett’s amaranthine designs has ensured that these murals will remain for many years to come. 

Image

A portrait of the artist.

Bennett has left a mark on many public spaces, including those in the Bay Area where she lived for a time. She said she created works for a variety of local institutions: metal mobiles for the Ice House, a longstanding set of buildings in San Francisco’s Waterfront District; an illuminated acrylic and steel sculpture for Memorex, considered to be one of Silicon Valley’s first tech startups; and even a stage set for a San Francisco Opera gala.  

Back in the 60s and 70s, Bennett said her artworks were mostly considered “decorative” because of their functional usage in architectural settings. She thinks the term demeans her work and its artistic value.    

“I didn’t think of my work as merely decorative,” she said. “Heck, [by that definition] Michelangelo ‘decorated’ the Sistine Chapel. It’s applied art made to enhance a space and give dignity to it." 

Many of Bennett’s artworks have disappeared in time, just like the buildings and businesses that housed them. But she recognizes that "often art is here one day and gone the next.”  

“Artwork has its moment,” she said, “and sometimes that’s it. But artwork as part of architecture can exist for centuries.”  

Though Bennett’s art practice mostly consists of painting these days, she says she’d consider taking on another mural commission if the right project came along.  

“If somebody contacts me because of this article, I could certainly do this type of work again,” she said. “I don’t have the strength to set the tiles, but I certainly have the strength to design some murals.” 

BART’s safety initiative to remove potentially hazardous trees in advance of severe winter storms will next focus on San Francisco and Daly City. To provide crews with enough room to safely do the work, free buses will replace trains between Glen Park and Daly City stations the first weekend in December, Saturday December 2, and Sunday December 3. Riders in the area should anticipate delays of up to 30 minutes. If the weather should interfere with the work on December 2-3, then the tree removal will be rescheduled for the following weekend, December 9-10. 

Riders in the area on the work weekend will have to get off their train at Glen Park or Daly City and then board a free bus to get to the next station in their direction of travel to continue their trip. Some buses will run directly between Glen Park and Daly City while others will stop at Glen Park, Balboa Park, and Daly City. 

Service from the East Bay to Downtown San Francisco

The Yellow and Blue lines will serve the downtown San Francisco stations. The Blue line will turn back at the 24th Street/Mission and the Yellow line will turn back at Glen Park. Blue Line riders traveling beyond 24th Street/Mission will need to walk across the platform and take the Yellow line train to the bus bridge at Glen Park.

Green line service will be cancelled on both days of the track shutdown. 

To provide some increased transbay frequency, BART will run some Red line Richmond to Montgomery and Montgomery to Richmond trains between 11:00am and 6pm. 

Service between Daly City and SFO/Millbrae and Millbrae/SFO to Daly City

BART will run only one line between Daly City and SFO/Millbrae and Millbrae/SFO to Daly City with service every 20 minutes. Each train will make all stops including SFO and Millbrae. These trains departure times will not match our normal timetable, but will run every 20 minutes. Riders traveling beyond Daly City will need to board the bus bridge.

Late Night Cancelled Train

The last northbound train of the night normally scheduled to leave Millbrae at 11:52pm and SFO at 12:00am will be cancelled both evenings of the track shutdown. Riders instead should plan to catch the 11:40pm departure from Millbrae that leaves SFO at 11:48pm.

BART will make the most of the weekend when this segment of the system will be closed by also working on trackway improvements. You can learn more about BART’s safety initiative to remove potentially dangerous trees on the project page.

You can keep up with the latest updates for trackway repair projects that impact service by going to our Alerts and Advisories page. BART’s Trip Planner has been improved to show the full customer journey including bus bridges. You can also check Real Time Departures for your station of choice.

Starting July 1, 2026, BART parking rates will be changing at 7 stations to reflect demand-based adjustments, in line with BART’s Parking Pricing Policy. The adopted policy allows for rate adjustments within a defined range to manage demand.  
Based on Spring 2026 parking counts showing occupancy exceeding 90 percent: 

•    Daily Fee rates will increase at Glen Park, Rockridge, Walnut Creek, and West Oakland stations.  
•    Single/multi-day reserved parking rates will increase at Rockridge, San Bruno, and Walnut Creek stations. 
•    All reserved parking rates (Single/Multi-day and Monthly) will decrease at Castro Valley and Union City stations, where sales remain low.  

Monthly reserved rates remain the same at all other stations as monthly sales remain steady. Parking remains free after 3pm, on weekdays and on weekends and holidays. A table outlining these changes is shown below: 

* Prices include parking taxes levied by local jurisdictions: Oakland (20%), and San Francisco (25%) 

All transactions made on or after July 1, 2026, will reflect the new prices above. Any reservations made before July 1, 2026, regardless of reservation dates, will reflect the price at time of purchase. Current monthly parking holders’ reservations will be renewed on July 15, 2026, for August, and will be charged at the new prices shown above.

BART’s current funding model heavily relies on fares and parking fees to run service and provide maintenance and police patrols in our parking areas.   

BART currently offers a 50% fare discount to qualifying low-income riders through the Clipper Start program. Visit Discounts | Bay Area Rapid Transit to learn more about additional fare discounts available. Parking discounts/commuter benefits may also be available through your employer. 

Pay for parking on the official BART app, online or at machines inside stations with debit, credit or cash. Additional parking questions? Please visit BART’s Parking Overview Page or our FAQs

Today, Dec. 12, at El Cerrito del Norte Station, BART, Bay Area transit agencies, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) unveiled new test transit maps and signs designed to help make transit journeys easier to understand for both existing and new riders by delivering information that is clear, predictable, and familiar across service areas and county lines. A new comprehensive transit map, which will enable riders to discover key destinations they can reach on the Bay Area's extensive rail, bus, and ferry network, also was released. 

Today’s event kicked off the start of an evaluation period for the Regional Mapping & Wayfinding project, in which BART,  MTC, and transit partners invite Bay Area residents and visitors to share their thoughts about the test signs and maps now installed at El Cerrito del Norte Station. Several “test” prototype signs and other communication materials also will be installed at the Santa Rosa Transit Mall/Downtown Santa Rosa SMART station later this month. Members of the public, including those who are unable to visit one of the test locations in El Cerrito or Santa Rosa, are invited to take this online survey to share their feedback and ideas.

“Transit in the Bay Area and elsewhere is still suffering the effects of the pandemic,” said Sue Noack, vice chair of MTC’s Regional Network Management Committee and Pleasant Hill City Councilmember. “But these maps and signs are tangible examples of the work MTC and the transit agencies are doing together to make the Bay Area’s system simpler, easier to use, and more affordable.”

Said BART General Manager Bob Powers: "This is not just a BART project, but a collaborative effort across regional transit agencies to experiment and innovate together. This project will move away from the disjointed look of the region's current transit signage and maps and make it easier for riders to know how to get from point A to point B, especially those who are new to riding Bay Area transit. I am thrilled that all of our agencies and the MTC have worked together to make this important project happen." 

Transit riders will be able to engage with the test materials during their journeys and share their ideas about how to make new signs and maps work better for them. This public feedback will help inform the next stage of the project in which the new maps and wayfinding materials are expected to be installed at seven additional locations across the Bay Area in 2025 and 2026.

The new maps and signs are part of the larger Regional Mapping and Wayfinding initiative aimed at making it easier to ride transit in the Bay Area. Whether a rider is traveling by bus, rail, ferry, or a combination, the signs, maps, screens and other communication systems will be consistent and easy to identify across all nine Bay Area counties.

The Regional Mapping and Wayfinding Project — led by MTC in partnership with BART and over two dozen Bay Area transit agencies as well as transit riders and Bay Area cities and counties — is the result of a first-of-its-kind effort to redesign and harmonize maps and signage across all nine Bay Area counties to help people navigate transit more easily. This project is just one piece of a broader effort outlined in the Bay Area Transit Transformation Action Plan, which is focused on making Bay Area transit easier and more convenient for riders of all ages and abilities to use.

The Regional Network Management Council includes top executives from BART, MTC, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, AC Transit, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Caltrain, SamTrans and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, as well as three general managers representing all other transit agencies serving Bay Area communities, including BART General Manager Bob Powers. 

MTC is the regional transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.