BART wraps up Powell St. Modernization Program
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) unveiled the Powell St. Modernization Program on Nov. 22. The completion of the program was celebrated with a ribbon cutting and press conference attended by local dignitaries.
Powell St. is the third busiest station in the BART system. It’s also many visitors’ first taste of San Francisco and serves as a crucial jumping off point for accessing the city’s delights and entertainments.
The modernization program re-envisions the experience of the station, revitalizing the function, safety and security, capacity, sustainability, appearance and customer experience.
Upgrades to the station include public restrooms, LED lighting, five-foot-tall glass fare barriers, a modern metallic grid ceiling and a new external canopy. The modernization also includes the installation of a new illuminated ceiling artwork, titled “Elysium,” by San Francisco artist Stephen Galloway.
“This project is a true reflection and indicator of BART’s commitment to being a world-class transit system,” said BART Board Director Bevan Dufty, who represents Powell St. Station. “We are excited to invite riders to come experience all of the upgrades firsthand.”
BART Board Director Janice Li, like Dufty, celebrated the transit agency’s commitment to improving the experience of the essential San Francisco station.
“As we continue to welcome riders back from the pandemic, we’re laser focused on any and all ways we can improve the customer experience,” Li said.
The changes to the station are hardly subtle. The station is now brighter, safer and more welcoming to the thousands of riders who pass through each day. Noticeably, fare gates and ticketing machines have been removed from the center of the concourse and moved to the perimeter, opening up the station and further improving line of sight.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed touted the increased visibility and improved aesthetics of the station, noting that the modernization plan is a harbinger of San Francisco “coming alive.”
“This is one of the best cities in the world because we work hard to make it so,” she said.
