Transit riders in San Francisco should brace for a weekend slowdown as BART officials announce track improvements and vegetation management work. The disruption, slated for June 1–2, will see the Green Line service scrapped and no Red Line trains running from Millbrae to Daly City. A fleet of free buses will be enlisted to bridge the gap from 24th Street/Mission to Daly City, with expected delays topping out at 30 minutes, according to an advisory on BART's website.
BART's preparations to quickly compensate for lost time include setting up alternative transit options for affected passengers. SamTrans and Muni are stepping in to provide connection services, with schedules tweaked to compensate as best as possible for the inconvenience. Passengers should note, however, that the last northbound trains will depart from Millbrae and SFO earlier than usual, at 11:40 p.m. and 11:47 p.m., respectively – plan to avoid getting stranded.
The service alert impacts several lines over the weekend: Yellow, Blue, and Red lines will turn back at the 24th Street/Mission Station. The Glen Park and Balboa Park stations will close, save for the bus services bridging the stations. Commuters are encouraged to consult the Alerts and Advisories page for detailed updates on the service changes during this period.
This closure will allow crews to replace outmoded rail tracks and install state-of-the-art equipment to upgrade the traction power system. The goal is to provide passengers with a consistently smoother and quieter journey upon completing these improvements. According to BART, "riders will enjoy a smoother, safer, more reliable, and quieter ride once the projects are complete." These modernizations are a segment of BART's expansive campaign to fortify the safety and operational reliability of its 131-mile, 50-station network, now seeing more rebuilding projects than at any other time in its half-century history.
Those interested in the broader picture of BART's revitalization efforts can refer to the 2023 Measure RR Annual Report, released by the independent Measure RR Bond Oversight Committee, detailing the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects.