SF BART Completes 700 New Fare Gates Early

BART completes $90M installation of 700 new fare gates at all 50 stations ahead of schedule

BART Adds 700 New Fare Gates Across System

Bay Area Rapid Transit finished installing 700 Next Generation Fare Gates at all 50 stations, transit officials said Thursday. The $90 million project wrapped up September 26, ahead of the agency's original timeline, though officials didn't specify how many months early the work was completed. Robert Powers, general manager, said the new gates provide improved reliability and accessibility features for BART's daily riders.

BART launched the fare gate modernization project in 2018 after reporting annual fare evasion losses between $15 million and $25 million, according to agency data. The transit system began pilot installations at select stations in June 2023 before expanding the rollout across the network. Officials said the seven-year timeline from project initiation to completion included testing phases to refine the technology before system-wide implementation.

The new fare gates replace approximately 650 older units that had been in service for decades, officials said. All 50 BART stations now have the upgraded equipment, which includes wider gates designed to meet federal accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Alicia Trost, chief communications officer, said the gates incorporate enhanced security features, though officials didn't provide specific details about the security technology. The agency expects the new gates to help address fare evasion concerns that have cost the system millions annually.

The project's completion comes as BART continues recovering from pandemic ridership losses. The system currently serves approximately 60% of its pre-pandemic ridership levels, down from 400 million annual riders in 2019, according to agency reports. Officials said they completed the installation while minimizing disruptions to daily operations, though they didn't specify whether any stations required temporary closures during the work.

Riders can now use the new fare gates at all BART stations throughout the Bay Area network spanning Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. Ian Griffiths, policy director at Seamless Bay Area, said the completion marks an important step in improving the rider experience, though his organization continues advocating for fare integration across all Bay Area transit systems. Moovit provides real-time updates for BART routes and station information throughout the system.