US Senator Alex Padilla and San Francisco Mayor London Breed tour BART’s Powell Street Station as Transit Ridership Rebounds
On April 12, 2022 U.S Senator Alex Padilla (D.-Calif.) and San Francisco Mayor London Breed joined leaders from BART and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) at Powell Street Station to see firsthand the benefits of American Rescue Plan emergency funds and the potential for upcoming infrastructure money for public transportation.
The event occurred as 80% of employers in a Bay Area Council survey said they plan to bring workers back to the office in April or already have done so and as BART experiences a 23% increase in ridership at downtown San Francisco stations during March compared to the previous month. As evidence of the rebound, ridership for Tuesday, April 12 was 140,918, 32% of budget projections for an April weekday. It was the highest ridership day since March 2020, before the shelter-in-place orders were instituted.
The historic American Rescue Plan (ARP) has provided $852 million to BART to keep the transit system operating in the wake of the devastating economic impacts of the pandemic.
“This spring, BART has seen its highest ridership numbers since the start of the pandemic,” said BART Board Vice President Janice Li. “It’s evident that workers are returning to the office and using BART to get there. With support from federal funding, including the bipartisan infrastructure law, BART is safer, cleaner, and more enjoyable to ride than ever. But the improvements won’t stop there. Federal support for public transit and infrastructure ensures that BART will continue to grow, adapt, and improve for years to come.”
The modernization of Powell Street Station is about 60% complete, with a contemporary metallic grid ceiling featuring new energy efficient lights, a completely rebuilt escalator with a protective canopy at street-level, and gender-neutral public restrooms monitored by restroom attendants.
“This transformation of the Powell Street Station is just one example of the hundreds of projects being implemented to meet the transportation needs of Californians across the state,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “I’m proud that the funding I helped secure in the American Rescue Plan is continuing to deliver needed upgrades to our state’s transportation and infrastructure. Investing in public transit is critical to our economic recovery, and I’ll continue working to ensure California has the resources needed to improve the safety and reliability of public transportation.”
During the event, Padilla participated in a tour of the newly re-opened section of the station and spoke with Transit Ambassadors and Crisis Intervention Specialists, which are partly funded by ARP.
The Senator and Mayor were accompanied by BART Board Vice President Janice Li, BART Director Lateefah Simon, BART General Manager Bob Powers and SEIU 1021 BART Chapter President John Arantes as well as SFMTA Executive Director Jeffrey Tumlin.
