BART riders are bracing for a weekend without train service between San Francisco and the East Bay as crews prepare to replace hundreds of rail ties in the Transbay Tube.
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Anyone with plans to head across the Bay this weekend will have to count BART out as a transit option.
“We understand the interruption in service will be a significant inconvenience for tens of thousands of people but we simply can’t avoid making these repairs”, BART Assistant General Manager for Operations Paul Oversier said on the transit service’s website. So far, he believes most riders are getting the message.
Closures will be in effect from the end of service on Friday, with Monday service scheduled to resume as usual.
The Transbay Tube, which runs from the West Oakland station to the Embarcadero station, has not had any major maintenance in about 40 years. However, riders are being warned to expect delays. BART will have a “lifeline bus service” between the 19th Street station in Oakland and the Transbay Terminal in SF, but they anticipate the trip could cause “1 to 2 hour delays” and should only be used by “those who have no other options”.
Ridership on the Vallejo/San Francisco ferry is also up, though to a lower extent.
The West Grand Avenue onramp to Interstate 80 and I-580 in Oakland and the Essex Street onramp to the bridge in San Francisco will be closed to all vehicles except buses. All in all, it’s a really good weekend to stay home and enjoy whichever side of the bay enjoys your outrageously high rent.
An army of volunteers in yellow vests will be available to help guide passengers to buses and stations.
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BART officials are also planning another Transbay Tube shutdown for Labor Day weekend next month, from September 5-7.
