The transit agency says it needs more state and federal support to meet its operating costs and avoid a growing budget gap.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) riders in the San Francisco Bay will see a 5.5 percent increase in fares starting on January 1, reports Aidin Vaziri for The San Francisco Chronicle.
According to Vaziri, “BART officials say the increase is essential to support ongoing operations and to address a growing budget deficit, which is projected to reach $35 million by 2026 and balloon to $385 million by 2027.” The agency continues to rely on fares as an important source of revenue, but that model has become largely unsustainable.
Like other transit leaders around the country, BART officials are calling on state and federal governments to support public transit with more dedicated funding. “As part of its strategy to balance the budget, BART is also focusing on cost-saving measures, such as more efficient scheduling and reduced train sizes to lower operational expenses.”
FULL STORY: BART announces another fare hike as agency struggles with budget woes
California Revives $750M Loan to Save Bay Area Transit
The state approved a $750 million loan as a stopgap measure to fund regional transit agencies until a 2026 ballot measure that could bring more permanent funding.
California Rejects Loan to Save Bay Area Transit
The state’s Department of Finance wants to extend negotiations about the loan, making it unlikely transit agencies will receive any assistance before the end of the year.
BART Closes $35 Million Deficit
Cost control and revenue generation measures prevented service cuts.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
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FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
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Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
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The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association