A 2nd transbay BART tube? Maybe, but not anytime soon gallery_thumbnails_photo|photo-7220523|article-gallery-5931039|1 gallery_thumbnails_photo|photo-7220542|article-gallery-5931039|2 If you are willing to look into the future where billions of dollars are available to upgrade transit infrastructure and multiple municipalities and governmental agencies are able to work together seamlessly, you might just see a second transbay BART tube. The plan to expand BART service — with a second tube possibly running from Oakland, through Alameda, to San Francisco and another expansion into the western half of the city — depends on a lot of moving parts, a lot of unallocated funding and patience, as any major developments are likely many years away, said Ellen Smith, acting manager for the transit agency. “Any sort of expansion would take multiple decades and multiple billions” of dollars, she said, putting the timeline and funding necessary into perspective. “We’ve really just scratched the surface.” But as the population of the Bay Area continues to climb and more people opt for public transit — weekday transbay ridership has swelled 12 percent in the past two years, according to agency figures from September — something has got to give. The idea of a second Transbay Tube is part of a bigger package — known as BART Metro Vision — that BART officials are considering as they look at the more-distant future. It also includes enlarging the Montgomery and Embarcadero stations, adding crossing and passing tracks, building infill stations, including one at 30th and Mission streets, and extending the tracks past Richmond deeper into western Contra Costa County. The Plans and Programs Committee, which oversees the Vision program, will narrow the field of possible contenders to a “short list” of ideas to study before the Thursday BART Board meeting, but the real next step will come at the meeting Jan. 22, Smith said, as board members will give input on what the transit agency should invest in as it looks to the future. On the table are studies on better ways to keep trains, tracks and equipment in a state of good repair; how best to increase capacity on the existing system; or ways to expand the area serviced by BART. While the idea of a second transbay tube or, better yet, a way to get to the Richmond District without taking the 38-Geary Line, is alluring, it’s not likely to happen anytime soon. Kale Williams is a San Francisco Cronickle staff writer. E-mail: kwilliams@sfchronicle Twitter: @sfkale
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 03:24:31 +0000
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