46 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Berkeleyside, 8/26/20:

 

    How risky is riding BART during the pandemic?  

 

 

 

How risky is riding BART during the pandemic? It’s probably safer than you think, according to medical professionals — and could become safer in the future, if technologies the transit agency is testing now pan out.

 

Article

[CNJRoss]

BART news release

 

08.27.20

  BART uses Coronavirus downtime to continue improving its system

 

August 27, 2020 Update

 

 

BART is making more progress with its plan to maximize capital rebuilding work while ridership remains low because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Since BART reduced service hours in March there has been an increase in the amount of time workers can spend in the trackway to improve the system. 

 

One of the most prominent examples of where the increase in wrench time is paying off is with the effort to replace aging power cables in downtown San Francisco. The 34.5kV (kilovolt) electrical cables provide power for BART’s trains and in many cases have been in place since BART began service in the early 70s.  BART had originally expected to pull 7,000 feet of 34.5kV cable during the last three months.  But instead workers have managed to pull 23,000 feet of new cable.  Riders are gaining the benefit of a more reliable system and are having to endure fewer impacts to get it.  The increased productivity means the project can potentially eliminate 35 future weekends when BART would have had to delay riders by running single-track service through the work area.

 

Work is moving forward in multiple areas.  BART is replacing coverboards across the system.  Those are the white, curved fiberglass shields that protect the third rail.  Since the arrival of the pandemic, BART has replaced 6.9 miles of coverboards.  BART had originally expected to get through only 3.8 miles of coverboards at this point, which means the project is approximately three months ahead of schedule.

 

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 8/31/20

 

BART completes more trackwork while ridership is low

 

Completing a power cable project during slowed operations means service won't be impacted over 35 weekends. Photo – BART

 

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) continues to mark progress with a plan to maximize capital rebuilding work while ridership remains low because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the agency reduced service hours in March, more track time has become available for workers to improve the system, BART officials said in a press release.

For example, an effort to replace aging power cables in downtown San Francisco is more rapidly advancing. Many of the 34.5-kilovolt electrical cables that provide power for trains have been in place since BART began service in the early 1970s.

The agency originally expected 7,000 feet of cable to be pulled during the past three months, but workers instead pulled 23,000 feet of new cable.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

BART news release:

 

Schedule Change Beginning Sept. 14th

Increases Weekday Commute Service

 

 

 

 

RELEASE DATE: 09/8/2020

On Monday September 14th, BART’s schedule will be updated to add more frequency during peak commute times on several lines, marking the largest weekday service increase since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Commute trains at 15-minute frequencies will be added to most lines as well as other adjustments to the schedule including 30-minute frequencies on Saturday and Sunday to reflect current ridership levels. BART service hours will continue to be 5am-9pm on Monday-Friday and 8am-9pm Saturday and Sunday with earlier morning trains on weekends.

BART’s 15 Step Plan to Welcome Riders Back calls for matching service levels with demand and adding trains into service when crowding data shows increased frequency is needed for riders to be able to maintain social distancing on board trains. This schedule change follows through on that commitment while also providing flexibility if ridership changes. 

The new schedule has been loaded into the Trip Planner and riders can begin to plan trips using a date of September 14th and beyond. PDFs of the new timetables as well as the current timetables for comparison are available at https://www.bart.gov/schedules/pdf

What riders need to know:

• The Antioch-SFO/Millbrae (Yellow), Richmond-Millbrae (Red), and Berryessa/North San José-Daly City (Green) lines will have 15-minute frequencies during the busiest commute hours on weekdays in the peak direction of travel. 
• All other weekday times will continue to have 30-minute frequencies with no significant changes. 
• Some weekday early morning trips have been slightly adjusted by a few minutes; morning riders should check the new schedule to plan ahead to prevent missing their regular train by a few minutes. 
• Saturday and Sunday service will now run every 30 minutes (currently 20 minutes on Saturday and 24 minutes on Sunday) with the first trains of the morning, for the most part, departing significantly earlier than 8am.
• On Sunday single tracking days, the Dublin/Pleasanton (Blue) line will be extended to 24th Street/Mission station, currently it terminates at Montgomery.

Line specific changes: Antioch-Daly City (Yellow) 

• A total of 4 added trains weekdays to further expand 15-minute frequencies, in addition to the 6 trains that were added in June.
• 15-minute frequencies will now be provided weekdays from 5am-7:45am (with the last 15 minute interval train departing Pittsburg Bay Point at 7:46am and arriving at SFO at 9:13am) and 3:10pm-5:40pm (with the last 15-minute interval train departing Daly City at 5:40pm and arriving at Pittsburg/Bay Point at 6:50pm).  
• Antioch and Pittsburg Center riders will benefit from the increased service in the peak direction of travel with BART to Antioch trains meeting all added BART trains at the transfer platform. 
• The first early morning train out of Concord will now depart a few minutes earlier with earlier departure times down the line. Several other morning train times have adjusted by one minute earlier. Riders should check the new schedule to prevent missing their regular train by a few minutes. 
• On Saturdays, the first trains departing on this line will begin 15 minutes earlier and have 30-minute frequencies throughout the day (compared to 20-minute frequencies currently).
• On Sundays, the first trains departing on this line will begin 10-20 minutes earlier and service will be 30-minute frequencies (compared to 24-minute frequencies currently). 

Richmond-Millbrae (Red)

• A total of 4 added trains weekdays.
• Two trains will be added weekdays between Richmond and Daly City in the morning commute providing 15-minute frequencies from 6:11am-7:11am, with the last 15-minute interval train leaving Richmond at 7:11am and arriving at Daly City at 8:06am.
• Two trains will be added weekdays between Daly City and Richmond in the evening commute providing 15-minute frequencies from 4:32pm-5:32pm, with the last 15-minute interval train leaving Daly City at 5:32pm and arriving at Richmond at 6:25pm.
• On Saturday morning the first train leaving Richmond will now depart at 7:26am compared to 8:46am. 

Berryessa/North San José-Daly City (Green)

• A total of 4 added trains weekdays.
• Two trains will be added weekdays between South Hayward and Daly City in the morning commute providing 15-minute frequencies for this section of the Green line between 6am-7am, with the last 15-minute interval train leaving South Hayward at 7am and arriving at Daly City at 7:40am.
• Two trains will be added weekdays in the evening commute running between Daly City and Berryessa/North San José providing 15-minute frequencies between 4:12pm-5:12pm, with the last 15-minute interval train leaving Daly City at 5:12pm and arriving at Berryessa at 6:36pm. 
• Some weekday early morning trips have been slightly adjusted by a few minutes.
• Saturday service will now run every 30 minutes (currently 20 minutes on Saturday).

Dublin-Daly City (Blue)

• No added weekday trains at this time as ridership data shows the current service level provides for 6 feet social distancing. However, Dublin riders will benefit from the increased service provided to the Green line as riders will be more spread out between Bay Fair and Daly City since there will be more trains serving that section. 
• Saturday and Sunday service will now run every 30 minutes (currently 20 minutes on Saturday and 24 minutes on Sunday); the first weekend trains of the morning have new departures times, some earlier and one later.
• On Sunday single tracking days, this line will now extend to 24th Street/Mission station, currently it terminates at Montgomery requiring a transfer.

Richmond-Berryessa/North San José (Orange)

• No added weekday trains will be added to orange line as ridership data shows the current service level provides for 6 feet social distancing.
• On weekdays the first train out of South Hayward will now depart a few minutes earlier, with earlier departure times down the line.
• On Saturdays, the first trains departing Berryessa will be at 7:30am compared to 7:56am and 15-minute frequencies will be available for the first two morning trains ; 30-minute frequencies will be provided for the remainder of the day (compared to 20-minute frequencies currently). On Saturday, the 7:48am Berryessa (Orange) line train out of Richmond does not have a lengthy transfer window to the Yellow line train and riders may not be able to transfer in time and will need to wait 15 minutes for the next Yellow line train.  
• On Sundays, the first trains departing on this line will begin 10-15 minutes earlier and service will be 30-minute frequencies (compared to 24-minute frequencies currently). 

 

 

 

 

 

[KevinKorell]

San Francisco, CA Examiner, 9/9/20:

 

   BART will run more trains on busiest commuter lines during peak hours, effective Monday    

 

 

 

BART will increase the frequency of key commuter trains during peak hours, an encouraging development in an otherwise bleak time for the Bay Area transit agency and the largest increase in service since the coronavirus pandemic forced cost-saving adjustments to frequencies and operating hours starting in March.

 

Article

[CNJRoss]

 

 

Huge progress in replacing power cables for trains in downtown San Francisco advances rebuilding project to new phase

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RELEASE DATE: 9/25/2020

BART’s plan to replace traction power equipment in downtown San Francisco has received a major boost in recent months thanks to efforts to accelerate critical rebuilding work during this time of reduced service hours because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Many of the aging electrical components are nearly 50 years old and have outlived their design lives.  Replacing this outdated infrastructure is essential to ensure BART trains have a reliable power source as they carry riders through the heart of the system.

Much of the recent focus has been on replacing the 34.5kV (kilovolt) electrical cables that provide power to BART trains. BART had originally expected to pull 7,000 feet of 34.5kV cable during the last three months. But thanks to an increase in wrench time since BART reduced service hours in March, crews have managed to install more than 21 miles of electrical cable between the Montgomery and 16th Street stations.  This increased productivity means the project can potentially eliminate 35 future Sundays when BART would have had to delay riders by running single-track service through the work area.

BART crews have put the riders first as they go about their work.  One example is with the installation of rail disconnect switches near the Montgomery Street station.  The third rail disconnect switches cut the third rail into two parts. On one section of track the electricity is turned off enabling crews to work safely. On the opposite side, third-rail power remains on to supply electricity to the trains at the station.  The switches allow BART to run more Dublin/Pleasanton Blue Line trains from the East Bay to downtown San Francisco to increase system capacity despite the ongoing work.
 
All this progress means the work is now entering a new phase.  Starting on Sunday, September 27th single tracking will begin between the 24th Street Mission and Balboa Park stations.  Work will also continue in downtown San Francisco, but single tracking will only happen in one of the two work areas on select Sundays.  Riders should expect nominal delays in San Francisco of up to 10 minutes from 8 am to 7 pm on workdays.  

The entire project in San Francisco is expected to wrap up in late 2023.

 

Cross posted

BART Power Cable replacement project

[CNJRoss]

1/26/21

 

 

 

 

After successful pilot, denser filters will be

added throughout BART’s fleet of train cars

 

 

 

 

 

Denser air filters like the one shown above are capable of blocking more particles

RELEASE DATE: 01/26/2021

Story by MELISSA JORDAN | Photos by MARIA J. AVILA

BART Communications

After a successful pilot, BART will install denser filters throughout its fleet of train cars, part of a multilayered plan for stepped-up system safety as the pandemic plays out.

Air filtration has an important role in preventing transmission of the coronavirus, along with vigilant mask-wearing. Filters on BART are in the heating and air conditioning unit underneath each train car.  They’re rated by their ability to block different-sized particles, a rating known as their minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV, on a scale from 1 to 20.  

The old MERV-8 filters could trap particles between 3 and 10 microns in size; the new MERV-14’s can capture much smaller particles between .3 and 1 microns. BART engineers sent the pilot filters out for pressure-drop testing to measure their effectiveness. Image below: A MERV-14 filter (white) has denser folds than the MERV-8 (green)

 

 

 

 

"We've completed the evaluation and gotten the numbers back,” said Ben Holland, Manager of Vehicle System Engineering. The pilot took about six months in order for the testing to occur after a train car had gone through its full preventative maintenance cycle of real-world operations. “We feel really confident about moving forward with the MERV-14s. We’ve set up stock numbers for them to be implemented fleet-wide.” 
 
Ventilation on BART is extremely robust, with an entire train car’s air being replaced about every 70 seconds. Overall, the air in BART trains at a given moment is about 75% filtered and 25% fresh air drawn from outside the car (it’s 80/20% on legacy trains and 70/30% on Fleet of the Future trains).

The MERV-14 filters are being incorporated into inventory and purchasing systems. They’ll be installed on every car as it goes into the shop for its scheduled preventive maintenance. “As each car comes in, they’ll pull out the MERV-8s and put in MERV-14s,” he said. 

Another pilot, which is testing a ultraviolet UV-C lighting rod inside one legacy train car’s undercarriage HVAC unit, is still in the evaluation phase but looks promising, Holland said.  “We’re still monitoring that,” he said.“So far it’s been working well. We’re still trying to figure out how to replicate that into Fleet of the Future HVAC units.” 

More good news from the UV pilot, he said, is that engineers have refined the design in order to put two UV-C bulbs instead of one, in addition to using bulbs that are 50% longer than in the original pilot design. “We’ll get three times as much light output – it’s almost like installing three bulbs. We’re still in the process of finalizing the electrical and mechanical details.”

The only hurdle may be finding suppliers. “It’s been really frustrating working with suppliers who are under the gun from everybody,” Holland said. BART will work with Bombardier, the manufacturer of the new trains, so that the UV-C lighting can become standard-issue from the factory.

 

“We are working on the design in-house because if we rely entirely on them to produce a design, it could take quite some time,” he said. “This is urgent and important to us and to our customers.”

 

BART engineers have had preliminary discussions with scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory regarding simulations that can mimic a sneeze or cough to quantify the flow and travel of aerosols, tiny airborne particles that can carry coronavirus or other pathogens. 

“We’re in all talks with all kinds of different agencies,” Holland said. “This is being watched and scrutinized all over the world. It’s hugely important for our public.”

 

 

 

 

Chief Safety Officer Jeff Lau said BART is “actively evaluating many different technologies” that could potentially be used in the transit system to combat the coronavirus.

One product, a robot that could run through cars in their off-hours and spray disinfectant, was tested but probably won’t move forward because of difficulties in accessing the trains and moving between them, Lau said. (Trains already are disinfected with electrostatic foggers, which are applied by a human, at night.)

A smaller, Roomba-like device that can vacuum and disinfect at the same time will also get a test run.

“We are open to all different kinds of technologies and innovations,” Lau said. “We are trying to be a leader in the industry in keeping our patrons and employees safe. I’m very confident that our system will be as safe, maybe even safer, than before (Covid), thanks to enhanced cleaning and changes in behavior like wearing masks.”

 

[CNJRoss]

BART news release

 

01.27.21

  BART seeks emergency funds in response to COVID-19

 

This news article is being updated with the latest news, fact sheets, and letters about emergency funds provided to BART in response to COVID-19.

 

1/27/21 Update

 

First batch of new federal emergency relief allocated to BART

 

 

Today the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is allocating the first batch of funds from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021(CRRSAA), which included $14B for public transit. This first tranche of funds is being distributed to Bay Area transit operators that received insufficient shares of CARES Act funding due to inaccurate revenue loss forecasts. Of the $180 million in funds allocated to a number of Bay Area transit systems, BART will receive $103.7 million.

 

“We are grateful for the MTC moving quickly to distribute this first batch of funds to help offset more of the revenue losses incurred over the last year,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “These funds provide short-term relief, preventing lay-offs and providing funds to keep our current service levels for our current ridership which is heavily transit dependent.” BART will still need to move forward with the March 22, 2021 schedule change which makes only slight adjustments to current service but includes running 3 route service on Saturdays.

 

BART will use $55 million of these funds to close the current year (FY21) deficit and the rest will help reduce the FY22 deficit. Prior to considering new federal assistance, BART anticipated a deficit of approximately $500M through the end of FY23. These new funds will reduce the forecasted deficit but an appropriate allocation of remaining CRRSAA funds will be needed to prevent further service cuts and layoffs in FY22.

 

“We look forward to working with the MTC on the second round of funding distribution and we will continue to advocate for additional emergency relief. The Biden Administration has proposed the American Rescue Plan with funds included to preserve public transit and prevent layoffs. While we continue to advocate for these funds, we also must continue to right size our workforce and budget through retirement incentives, shifting operating workers to capital projects, and significantly reducing non-essential overtime and other costs,” Powers said.

 

Continue here for historical notes.

[CNJRoss]

BART news release

 

 

02.01.21

  BART updates related to the coronavirus

 

 

The safety of BART riders and employees is our top priority.  This page is being continuously updated below to keep the public informed about our response efforts and BART ridership data through the pandemic.  

 

Stay informed of our plans by signing up for news alerts at https://cloud.info.bart.gov/signup

 

Scroll down for the daily update.

• View BART's 15-step plan outlining what riders can expect when returning to BART and what we are doing to welcome you back safely.
• View weekly crowding charts with passenger load data outlining the average number of riders on each car of a specific train. 
• View BART's report on air flow in BART train cars. BART train cars filter and replace air about every 70 seconds, far more than indoor spaces like offices and grocery stores. 
• Get a personal hand strap to avoid touching surfaces while riding.
• Use our Trip Planner to see our new schedule or pdfs of the timetables by line. Note that while we communicate that BART closes at 9pm, the closure time varies station by station depending on where you are going. Some trains run well beyond 9pm. Check your specific trip.
• View: Response and Prevention Efforts outlining efforts to provide safe service and to keep our employees healthy.
• View the latest details about the financial impacts of COVID-19 and our 7-point plan to respond to the budget crisis and our efforts to advocate for emergency funds.
• View the "Riding Together, Bay Area Healthy Transit Plan," a comprehensive strategy launched by the transit agencies from the nine Bay Area counties with shared commitments to limit the spread of COVID-19. This website includes a performance dashboard on topics such as mask compliance rates and capacity for safe distancing http://www.healthytransitplan.com/

 

Continue for Daily Ridership details.

[CNJRoss]

 

Take BART to get vaccinated at the Oakland

Coliseum site and get a free ride home 

 

RELEASE DATE: 2/11/2021

BART is prepared to support the large-scale vaccinations at the Oakland Coliseum and for a limited time will offer a free BART ride home for those who have been vaccinated at the site.

The vaccination site, which opens on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, will be in the parking lot of the Oakland Coliseum, which is accessible from the Coliseum BART station.

Starting Tuesday, BART will have extra staff at the Coliseum BART station during BART operating hours to provide anyone who has received a vaccine a free $7 BART ticket on-site after showing their vaccination card with a matching date. $7 is enough fare to get home to any station in the system, except SFO station. 

BART is also working to ensure those individuals who have mobility challenges will have assistance getting between the Coliseum BART Station and the vaccination site. It can be a long walk and BART is taking steps to make sure help is in place for those who need it.

The vaccination site will be jointly operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State of California through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and is part of the wider effort to create 100 vaccination sites nationwide in the President’s first 100 days.

BART’s limited promotion of a free ride home from Coliseum is only available for the Coliseum site until further notice. It is not being offered for other vaccination locations in the Bay Area. The free ticket is non-refundable and is only available on-site during BART’s operating hours and on the same day of the person’s appointment as verified by the date on the vaccination card. Riders should check train arrival and departures times to and from the Coliseum Station for the day of their appointment to plan their trip.

BART will monitor ridership to and from the station to ensure social distancing on trains remains possible.

Registration for vaccine appointments will be available through the state’s MyTurn scheduling system.