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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.

The artists - Courtney Cerruti, Liz Hernandez, Carrie Lederer, and Kija Lucas - and curator Lisa Solomon in front of Lucas's Untitled (Samin’s Garden) at 19th St. Oakland Station. 

A new exhibition at 19th St. Oakland Station has been installed in the light boxes that replaced the original phone alcoves as part of the 2023 station upgrades.   Intended for rotating art displays, the glowing lightboxes featuring site specific reinterpretations of artworks by four Bay Area artists. Filled with florals, organic textures, and scenes inspired by the natural beauty of the Bay Area, the exhibition brings a burst of spring into the heart of downtown Oakland. 

Each of the works, created by Courtney Cerruti, Liz Hernandez, Carrie Lederer, and Kija Lucas, center botanicals, inviting riders to pause and experience a moment of inspiration as they travel through the station. The project was led by the BART Art Program that engaged curator Lisa Solomon, a local artist and educator who is actively involved with local Bay Area art and artists.  

“I think it’s really exciting that people get to see [art] in their daily lives. They don’t have to go to a museum, they don’t have to be familiar with artwork; they just have to look up while they’re commuting,” said Lisa Solomon. The project is “all about bringing the outside in.” 

“It was really important to show the gamut of what florals can do in art,” she said.  

 

 

 

 

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The artworks are located at four locations inside the station, all visible without entering the paid area: three on the eastside of the station near the entrance/station agent booths, and one on the westside of the station across from the mid-station agent booth.    They will be on display at least through fall 2026. The pieces complement three stairwell lightboxes (located between the lower and upper platforms) with permanent installations by artists Ron M. Saunders, Phillip Hua, and Lisa and Hailey Banks.  

“The role of the art program is to align with BART’s efforts to enhance station environments making people feel more welcome, and connecting with nearby communities,” said BART Art Program Manager Jennifer Easton. Other recent projects supported by the program include the writing contest BART Lines: 826 Valencia, Sound Tracks Music Festival, Fruitvale murals in partnership with The Unity Council, and the upcoming BART Police Headquarters, North Berkeley and Dublin Pleasanton station art enhancements currently in development.  

Fox and His Circle of Gold  

“I often focus on both macro and micro – minute things that people don’t really have a chance to notice, things that are hiding in plain sight. Also, I am focusing on this idea of transporting people across land, water, sky, on out into the cosmos. This idea of a journey is in the work. All the details, the movement, the textures, the patterns. And it dovetails nicely with this idea of people who are on a journey here in BART going somewhere.” 

—  Carrie Lederer, Oakland (carrielederer.com) 

Jacarandas al Viento (Jacarandas in the Wind) 

“There's such a big world of people who exist, who spend a lot of time here in the BART system, and who might not spend a lot of time in a museum or attending a show at the gallery. But just bringing art into the space that’s already familiar, that’s ordinary...I think it will help people break that normalcy of their commutes, but also it might make people think that there is room for art in their life. The natural world is not a backdrop for our lives, it’s actually an agent that feels and sees and participates in this, being alive.” 

—  Liz Hernandez, Oakland (liz-hernandez.com) 

Sunday Morning. Lake Merritt Gardens

“[The scene] is from the Gardens at Lake Merritt, which I used to spend a lot of time at. This happened on a Sunday that, like most Sundays, it would be a very rare treat for me to have an hour two to be out in the world painting because I have a small child. It was kind of like a miraculous series of events to let me be in a garden painting on a beautiful sunny day in Oakland with my watercolor palette and my sketchbook and a sun hat and nobody else. I really had the garden to myself because it was early, and I think that sort of sereness but also playfulness shows through in the work as well, and that’s my favorite way to paint.” 

—  Courtney Cerruti, Oakland (courtneycerruti.com) 

Untitled (Samin’s Garden) 

“For me plants have a lot of memories. They might remind you of your home or your grandmother or a person in your life. They might have a certain smell or taste memory to them. You bring them with you like other objects in your life. I love seeing my work in places where people will encounter art where they might not encounter it otherwise.” 

—  Kija Lucas, Berkeley (kijalucas.com) 

Installation of Next Generation Fare Gates is scheduled to begin September 20th at Antioch Station. The installation process is expected to take up to two weeks to complete. This work comes after the successful installation of Next Generation Fare Gates at Civic Center, Fruitvale, Richmond, and West Oakland stations.

During construction, there will be a barrier around the existing station gate array.  Riders will use two temporary accessible gates to enter and exit Antioch Station.  Both gates will be placed in front of the Station Agent Booth and will route riders through the existing service gate. Additionally, carpet will be 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. 

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 here. Riders can provide feedback about the new gates at bart.gov/comments.