The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) uses COVID-19 downtime to continue improving its system

With extremely low ridership and new 9pm service closure, capital workers are taking full advantage to make progress. BART transferred 200 maintenance and engineering employees from operating projects to rebuilding capital projects, like ongoing station modernization projects at some of the busiest stations in the system. Capital projects are not paid for by operating funds, meaning ridership and related huge revenue loss have not impacted infrastructure work. Many capital projects currently at work are paid for by Measure RR, a voter-approved bond measure passed in 2016 in the three BART District counties. Several major capital projects are benefiting from the 9pm service closure, such as: 19th Street Station Modernization Project; El Cerrito Del Norte Station Modernization Project; Rail Grinding; Rail Replacement; and Transbay Tube Cathodic Protection, among others. BART has also added additional weekend track work to help take advantage of an extremely low ridership.