BART approved $12 million to update San Mateo County stations, including lighting and roof upgrades, in a move that may help improve relations between the county and the transit agency.
“[The county] was very frequently saying they feel that their stations weren’t getting enough TLC, especially compared to other stations and especially in the urban core, and we wanted to say that we really do need to spend more time at these stations and freshen them up, so this is long overdue work that probably should have already taken place,” BART spokesperson Alicia Trost said.
Some county leaders have criticized the transit agency for neglecting its stations, attributing it in part to the fact that the county doesn’t have any members on the agency’s Board of Directors.
While the lack of San Mateo County-based board members means less input on important decisions, it was part of a 2003 deal that allows county taxpayers to contribute significantly less to the system than the member counties of San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa. Still, the relationship has remained fraught at times, and was further exacerbated this year as discussions over a 2026 sales tax ballot measure were in the works. Senate Bill 63, which passed in October, is a multicounty measure meant in large part to shore up the gaping deficits of several major transit agencies, including BART and Caltrain. Some county-based transit leaders, including Metropolitan Transportation Commissioner Gina Papan and Jackie Speier, SamTrans board member and San Mateo County supervisor, have been adamant that BART should be held accountable not only for its fiscal management but also improved maintenance at county stations.
“Especially leading up to SB 63, obviously we’ve been having all kinds of conversions with the county, showing them how committed we are to the county, how important BART is to the county and how important the county is to BART,” Trost said.
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Papan said she was glad to see BART’s commitment to the county stations.
“It’s great to see that they’re finally focused on increasing ridership throughout the system, which means that throughout the system, particularly in San Mateo County, you have to keep the stations maintained,” Papan said.
Much of the $12 million will go toward new LED lighting, roof upgrades, cleaning and dated bus shelter removals at Colma, South San Francisco, San Bruno and Millbrae stations. LED lighting at the latter station is already in the works and should be completed by the end of the month, Trost said.
“The [LED lighting] is a dramatic improvement,” Trost said. “Everywhere, including the parking lot, is so much brighter, and it just looks much better.”
The work will begin early next year and be completed by the end of the year, according to the press release.
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