Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has taken another step forward in its push against fare evasion by installing new "Next Generation Fare Gates" at the Civic Center station in San Francisco. According to KRON 4, the gate replacement started today, and crews will be working to update the station's concourse level with the new infrastructure. The Civic Center station's elevator entrance was the first to receive a new fare gate in April, signaling the initial move towards a more secure transit system.
While a set of gates near the Seventh Street entrance will be under construction, BART has assured passengers that the remaining two sets will continue functioning without interruption. Working one at a time until the installation is complete, construction is expected to stretch over several weeks per set of gates. Highlighting the project's urgency, BART aims to retrofit more than 700 gates by 2025, installing sturdier barriers that stand 6 feet tall and are more difficult for fare evaders to bypass. Reflected in the design are new stainless steel frames with robust paneling and locking mechanisms, as KRON 4 notes, to stymie attempts at evasion.
The ambitious upgrade doesn't end at Civic Center. According to CBS News San Francisco, the systemwide $90 million project plans expansions across many stations, including Fruitvale, 24th Street, and Richmond. These stations are only part of a broader initiative exploring further enhancements at pivotal transit points such as SFO, Antioch, Powell Street, Montgomery, and others, KRON 4 reports. All these efforts are part of a comprehensive campaign to shield BART's revenue and ensure fare compliance.
BART's push to complete this project by 2025 reflects a determined stride toward bolstering the security and efficiency of the public transportation network. The installation process, which debuted at West Oakland station last December, continues to unfurl across the Bay Area's transit landscape. By constructing barriers that reach new heights in deterrence, BART officials hope to see a decline in fare evasion episodes that have long plagued the system, as per CBS News San Francisco.
