BART Ridership Surged While I-80 Was Closed Through San Francisco

BART ridership surged over the weekend amid a major freeway closure through San Francisco that rerouted traffic heading toward the Bay Bridge.

The transit agency recorded a 46% increase on both Saturday and Sunday compared to the same days the previous weekend. It saw a smaller boost, about 16%, on Friday. Eastbound Interstate 80 through San Francisco was closed for about 48 hours beginning at 11 p.m. Friday.

Officials said the boost shows that BART is still vital to the Bay Area’s transportation network, as it faces a major budget shortfall and possible drastic service cuts while it struggles to recover from pandemic ridership losses.

“The sharp increases underscore BART’s critical role in keeping the region moving when major infrastructure is out of commission,” the agency said in a press release.

Local transportation officials had warned drivers to avoid the area around the eastbound I-80 closure, which extended about 1.6 miles from 17th Street to 4th Street. The connector ramps from northbound and southbound U.S. 101 were also closed.

Caltrans urged motorists to use alternative routes or ditch their cars entirely in favor of public transit to avoid delays — and it seems many did.

As BART ridership increased, vehicle traffic over the Bay Bridge into San Francisco dipped about 7% on Saturday compared to the previous week, according to preliminary data from the Bay Area Toll Authority. Traffic was down 16% compared to the same weekend last year. While the toll authority only tracks bridge trips in the westbound direction, which was unaffected by the closure, John Goodwin, a spokesperson for the agency, said it usually assumes that traffic numbers will be roughly the same in the opposite direction.

The toll authority data showed little impact on vehicle traffic Sunday, with about 150 more cars crossing the Bay Bridge than the previous week, though traffic was down 15% compared to the same weekend last year.

Separate from the road closure, BART numbers have been increasing in recent months, with the agency recording its highest post-COVID-19 ridership levels in March. April ridership so far is up 10% compared to last year.

The agency saw a major drop-off during the pandemic, when significantly fewer Bay Area residents were commuting into the city for work. Lasting shifts toward more hybrid and remote work, and companies moving out of downtown, have made it difficult for BART to recoup ridership in recent years, contributing to what it’s called a “fiscal cliff.”

The agency is currently lobbying for additional funding in the coming November election, warning that without new revenue, it could make major service cuts.

A coalition of transit advocates, led by state Sens. Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguín, is campaigning for a ballot measure called the Connect Bay Area Act, a regional sales tax that would generate around $1 billion annually for BART, Muni, AC Transit, Caltrain and other regional transit agencies.

BART has approved a plan that could close 10 to 15 stations, eliminate the Red and Green lines or cut late night service beginning next year if the Connect Bay Area Act isn’t passed. The “doomsday” plan would reduce service by more than 60% to stave off a $376 million budget deficit.

BART representatives have previously warned weekend service could be cut to help close the budget deficit.

The agency said its capacity to accommodate increased ridership needs over the weekend while I-80 was closed came “while running standard 5-line weekend service.”

“BART will continue to play a vital role in supporting the Bay Area during major events, infrastructure projects, and other moments when reliable transit is needed most,” the agency said in its press release.