Jeremy Shaw of the SF Planning Department offers this summary of recent developments in the Balboa Park BART Station project, including details of planned disruptions and changes to transit stops/routes. BART’s public survey about Balboa Park Station is still open: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BalboaBART .

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Below are summaries of what was discussed at the Balboa Park Station Community Advisory Committee (BPS CAC) meeting, the BART project, and SFMTA projects. SFMTA and BART are continuing outreach efforts and more details will follow soon from them. For the latest, please communicate with the agencies directly [links and contact info found at the end of this article].

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BPS CAC MEETING JUNE 28

Both SFMTA and BART presented project and closure info to the Balboa Park Station Community Advisory Committee (BPS CAC) on Tuesday 6/28. That was a day after schedules/closures were coordinated between agencies. So while the notice might not be as far in advance as we like, it was the quickest dissemination of info as possible. The presentations at the CAC were:

• SFMTA project and closures
• Balboa Park Station Modernization
• Balboa Park Eastside Connection project
• BART’s summer track upgrade and closure.

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REGARDING BART’S SUMMER TRACK UPGRADE AND CLOSURE, (FROM MOLLY BURKE, BART; contact: 510-464-6172; mburke@bart.gov)

BART closures are planned for July 30/31, Aug 13/14, Aug 20/21, Sept 3/4/5, Sept 17/18, Oct 1/2 and Oct 15/16. BART trains will not run between Daly City and Glen Park and Balboa Park station will be closed on these target dates just announced. BART has not released detailed info on these 7 closures because we have been finalizing our service planning and bus bridge plan for all 3 stations with our counterparts at Samtrans and Muni as they will be providing the buses for our free bus bridge service.

In the coming week BART will be releasing detailed information about the seven weekend closures that will take place between Daly City and Glen Park from July to October 2016. Outreach about the closures will be coming via neighborhood groups we have already started to meet with, as well as SF BOS offices we have met with, 311 and 511, news media, Social media, and a neighborhood mailer that will go to 15,000 people within 1/4 mile of the planned work zone. Bart.gov will be the suggested website to obtain all up to date info related to these closures. Hundreds of BART Employees will mobilize at the 3 closure stations to direct patrons and answer questions.

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REGARDING BALBOA PARK STATION AREA AND PLAZA IMPROVEMENTS (FROM CRISTINA PADILLA, SFMTA; contact: 415.701.2474; Cristina.padilla@sfmta.com)

There are two parts to the transit and traffic impacts for SFMTA’s projects:

1)      Between SFMTA’s two projects and BART’s Eastside Connection project, all of us have been coordinating efforts and meeting regularly to combine our schedules to minimize the total service impacts to our customers. Because of this, all projects will be working inside the Balboa Park Station revenue loop at the same time so that riders are only affected once. This will last approximately three months, where the J and K will be unable to go inside the station, as per their usual route. During these three months:

1. The J-line will use San Jose Avenue at Geneva Avenue. Muni riders will board in front of Crazy Pepper and be dropped off a little further down, where the M-line is currently serving.
2. Regarding the K-line, SFMTA plans have the last K-line stop at City College at the pedestrian bridge, for this to happen we need to install a temporary cross-over between Howth and the I-280 southbound off-ramp so LRV’s can switch back inbound. I know this can be difficult to understand, so here is a visual –

2)      The second part is for the Balboa Park Station Area Improvements project to complete some critical infrastructure updates including traffic signals, train signals, curb ramp upgrades, track work, pedestrian lighting and pavement restoration. This will have impacts to both traffic and transit for about three weeks. During these three weeks:

1. Traffic: Eastbound Ocean Ave between Phelan Ave and Howth Ave will be closed. Westbound will be open at all times. Howth Ave will be temporarily converted to a two-way street for local access. The I-280 NB entrance will only have access on weekdays.
2. Transit: The 49 and 29 Eastbound lines will not have access to Ocean Avenue as per its usual route. Therefore, they will go through Geneva Ave and around via San Jose Ave. 49 and 29 Westbound will not be affected. The K-Line will still terminate in front of City College during this timeframe. Here is a visual for both impacts:

We are still working out the details, which is why we haven’t posted it on our website yet, but we have already began reaching out to the community and plan on doing a lot more in the coming months.

It’s a lot of info, but I hope this helps clarify. As coordination continues, please mind those links or contact the public info officers for further updates. Thanks everyone,

Jeremy

JEREMY SHAW | Planner/Urban Designer | SF PLANNING | 415.575.9135

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http://www.bart.gov/

Molly M. Burke, Principal
Government and Community Relations Representative
BART San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
510-464-6172; mburke@bart.gov

Balboa Park Station Area and Plaza Improvements project

Green Light Rail Center Track Replacements

Cristina Padilla, Public Relations Officer
415.701.2474; Cristina.padilla@sfmta.com