BART Has Few Funding Sources For Proposed Improvements

"The envisioned face-lift would cost at least $400 million, according to preliminary engineering reports. BART officials hope to tap about $200 million in state transportation bond money approved by voters last year. Where the remainder of the funding would come from is up in the air."

"Still, they're putting together a list of projects to make the stations more inviting and better designed to handle tens of thousands more passengers a day. BART anticipates its ridership will reach about 500,000 people a day by 2025, up from the average 340,000 daily riders today."

"The wish list calls for:

-- Improving acoustics and lighting in the underground stations, many of which now have a cavelike ambiance.

-- Shoring up the roofs and walls, parts of which are falling apart.

-- Sprucing up the landscaping on the outside of the stations and adding walkways and bike paths.

-- Installing solar panels atop the elevated outdoor stations and switching to energy-efficient light sources to reduce what Marrama described as BART's 'carbon footprint.'"