Here are two quick update stories of interest to the safe and livable streets community.
BART ridership up again
BART ridership is up 13.5 percent for December over the previous year, according to a recent report from the agency:
The ridership gains reflect the continued impact of the New BART experience, a systemwide focus on customer experience improvements. Recent investments in safety, cleanliness, and innovative offerings, such as Next Generation Clipper and a new BART App integration with Uber, are helping strengthen rider confidence and bring people back to the system.
That came to 172,173 average weekday riders for December. That's still well below pre-pandemic levels, but it's steadily increasing.
"Love to see so many people riding BART," wrote Bike East Bay Co-Executive Director and former BART board director Rebecca Saltzman, in a post on social media. "Don’t love thinking about how all of us on this red line train [see above image] would be impacted if the orange line was cut and service was just once an hour." That was in reference to BART's ongoing funding woes, which could force the agency to significantly cut back service just as more people need it.
San Francisco traffic delay is also back. Both developments underscore the importance of getting enough signatures for a November funding measure to maintain quality transit as an alternative, even for people who prefer to drive. The alternative would bring down the local economy. "We need to pass the Connect Bay Area to prevent this and save transit," continued Saltzman. "Sign the petition and vote in November."
Caltrain and VTA prep for Super Bowl
Caltrain is getting geared up for the Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, February 8. The agency is promoting its service as the best way to get to the game and pre-game events. From a Caltrain release:
On the day of the big game, fans can skip the traffic and take Caltrain to Mountain View Station (nearest to Levi’s Stadium), which will run regular weekend schedule with trains every half hour. From there, riders can connect directly to VTA light rail service to the stadium.
More than one million people are estimated to visit the Bay Area in the week leading up to the game, and they’ll be checking out attractions from San Francisco to San Jose. Multiple events are scheduled to take place at San Francisco’s Moscone Center and Yerba Buena Gardens, both a short walk or a convenient MUNI ride from the San Francisco Caltrain Station. Attendees for all the events featured this week can take advantage of Caltrain’s half hourly service – on both weekdays and weekends – to ensure they get there on time and home again afterward.
As mentioned, Caltrain doesn't serve Levi's Stadium directly, but it connects with VTA, which says it is ready too:
As the primary public transit agency serving Levi’s Stadium, VTA is prepared to deliver record ridership safely, smoothly, and reliably. Planning began immediately after Levi’s Stadium was named host, building on lessons learned during Super Bowl 50 ten years ago.
“We know what it takes,” said VTA General Manager and CEO Carolyn Gonot at a press conference Monday, January 26. “We’ve taken every lesson from Super Bowl 50 and built an even stronger, smarter, more efficient plan for Super Bowl 60.”
From the East Bay, riders can also take BART to Milpitas and connect to VTA to get to the stadium. Check out VTA's online maps and instructions. In addition, Amtrak, which serves Levi's Stadium directly, is running special game day service, as will ACE from Stockton.
