BART-SFO Extension

[bennyp81]

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 19th 4:57 PM

San Mateo Daily Journal: Friday, April 18, 2003

BART-SFO opening set for June 22

By Dana Yates
Staff Writer

The wait is finally over for the grand opening of the BART-SFO extension scheduled to open to the public June 22, said BART spokesman Mike Healey.

After two years of delays and several missed targets for a grand opening, the $1.5 billion extension -- including the San Bruno, Millbrae and SFO stations -- is just two months away from public use, if all goes as planned.

After numerous delays written off as minor mishaps, BART officials are betting all testing runs smoothly during the next two months.

The project was officially handed over to BART this week by the contractor, Tutor-Saliba, who ran
up over $8 million dollars in late fines--$65,000
a day since November 2001. Those fees will likely be negotiated to a lower amount, said Healey.

BART must conduct eight to 12 weeks worth of tests before stations can open to the public. Starting today, BART has nine weeks and two
days to complete all testing. Some tests have already begun, said Healey.

"So far it's gone very well with the testing. We would not have set a date unless we were really confident," said Healey.

BART officials have been confident in the past, setting opening dates for Dec. 2001, then spring of 2002 and fall 2002. The project was pushed off so many times officials stopped setting new grand-opening dates. Their newfound confidence isn't enough for some people.

"The only way they could make that date is if God smiled proudly on this project and everything went right," said San Bruno resident Alice Barnes, who has been following the project for nine years. "That many years tells me it ain't going to happen."

Barnes, a retired government contract negotiator, has been waiting for BART to move down the Peninsula for years. Having just undergone
a quadruple bypass surgery, she wonders if she'll be around to see ride BART.

"I'm not sure if I'm going to make it for the grand opening, of all the people in this area I sure as hell deserve a ride on BART. But it's not going to happen until after Labor Day," said Barnes.

But BART officials are holding their position, already planning the grand opening celebrations for June 22 and an official ribbon cutting with city, state, and federal officials on hand June 21. A public open house will be held on May 6.

E-mail Dana Yates:[e-mail] or by phone: [phone] ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: [e-mail]

Þ--Þ--Þ

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 19th 5:08 PM

And some wonder why MTA isn't telling you the date for the opening of the Gold Line. 'Nuff said.

San Francisco Chronicle: Friday, April 18, 2003

BART to link to SFO June 22
After many delays, latest date is firm, transit officials say

By Michael Cabanatuan
Chronicle Staff Writer

The mystery that has vexed Bay Area residents and visitors alike for months, even years, has finally been answered.

June 22 is the day that BART's extension to San Francisco International Airport will open to the public.

After decades of planning, months of delays and a couple of squashed endangered garter snakes, BART officials -- joined by a passel of politicians -- announced the opening date Thursday by pulling a sheet off a sign reading: "BART to SFO ... BART to the world, June 22, 2003."

"It has taken about 47 years to get to this point," said Pete Snyder, president of the BART Board of Directors, referring to a 1956 study that
recommended construction of BART with a link to the airport. "But when that first train glides into the airport, it will have been worth the wait."

This is not the first time BART officials have given a projected opening date for the 8.7-mile, four-station SFO extension, though it is the most specific. When BART broke ground in November 1997,
officials predicted that the first train would roll down the Peninsula from Colma and into SFO's international terminal by the end of 2001.

But weather -- and the endangered snakes that were
crushed at a construction site -- forced BART to push the starting date back to late fall 2002.

Then in July of last year, BART officials admitted they wouldn't be able to open in time for the holidays and predicted a January start.

In early January, they backed off that promise and refused to do any more speculating until contractor Tutor-Saliba/Slattery completed the
project and handed it over to BART for final testing.

That finally happened Monday -- and BART officials set the opening date.

"It's not going to change again, is it?" joked San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, as he arrived at an Embarcadero station ceremony to
announce the opening date. "You guys keep changing the date."

BART officials assured the mayor he would be able to ride a train into SFO on June 22 -- the second day of summer.

"We're sure the opening date is going to stick," said Tom Margro, BART's general manager.

8 WEEKS OF TESTING
While the contractors have tested the components of the extension, BART will now begin about eight weeks of comprehensive testing, running trains from other parts of the system onto the extension as if it were in service.

"We'll be running trains, we'll have people out there in (station agent) booths, we'll be making sure everybody knows where everything is," Margro said.

The official opening day -- a Sunday -- will be preceded by a couple of celebratory openings: a private reception on June 20 and a public
ceremony on June 21.

"This will be not only a benefit to tourists and visitors to our city but to residents of the Bay Area who will be able to hop on a train and get to the airport," said James Fang, a BART director who said he'd pushed for the SFO extension since joining the board in 1990.

4 NEW STATIONS
While everyone refers to the extension as the SFO extension, the airport is just one of four stations. Heading south from Colma, trains will stop in South San Francisco and San Bruno, with some heading straight to the airport and others heading to Millbrae, a major transit hub where BART will share a station with Caltrain.

A shuttle train will carry passengers between Millbrae and the airport.

[The paid BART shuttle will replace a free-to-ride shuttle <www.transitinfo.org/Sched/CX/SFO/D> operated by SFO between Millbrae Caltrain and multiple SFO destinations.]

Trains on the Dublin/Pleasanton line will serve SFO directly, with Pittsburg/Bay Point line trains heading to Millbrae. But Margro said
some Pittsburg/Bay Point trains might be scheduled for direct trips to and from SFO.

Passengers on other lines would need to either transfer to a direct train to get to the airport or catch the shuttle train in Millbrae.

"The opening of the extension means you can go from home to Rome, or any other destination in the
world," said San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin, who worked to bring BART into his county.
"And BART is our connection to the world."

E-mail Michael Cabanatuan at
[e-mail]

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Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 19th 9:41 PM

San Mateo County Times: Friday, April 18, 2003

BART extension to open June 22; After years of conflict, construction, $1.5 billion airport extension will finally begin operations

By Justin Jouvenal
Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO -- The $1.5 billion San Francisco Airport extension is now scheduled to open June 22 after roughly five years of construction, budget battles and political squabbles.

The much-anticipated -- and often delayed project -- will give the Bay Area one of the nation's first direct-rail connections to a major
international airport.

Conceived nearly 50 years ago, it was one of the largest ongoing construction projects in the Bay Area.

"We've had to overcome obstacles of almost biblical proportions, whether human greed of airline executives, snakes and endangered
species, or mudslides," said Dan Richard, a BART director from Contra Costa County.

Richard was joined Thursday by San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin and a host of other local officials to announce the extension opening at the Embarcadero BART Station.

The 8.7-mile line will add four new stations: South San Francisco, San Bruno, SFO and Millbrae.

Trains will whisk passengers directly into SFO's International Terminal just a few minutes' walk from many ticket counters and gates.

Passengers will also be able to connect to AirTrain, SFO's new people-mover, to get to the rest of the airport.

In Millbrae, BART will link with Caltrain across a platform, giving riders the ability to travel from Pittsburg to Gilroy -- and dozens of points in between -- on the rails.

"Transportation is all about a seamless connection," Supervisor Mike Nevin said. "(The extension) means you can go from home to Rome. This is our pathway to the world."

BART officials plan to hold a public dedication ceremony to mark the extension on Saturday, June 21. On May 3, BART will unveil the public art
featured in the Millbrae station.

BART broke ground on the project in 1997, but the bulk of the work did not begin until a year later when joint venture Tutor-Saliba/Slattery won the lead contract, which was worth $620 million.

Crews excavated 1.9 million feet of soil to make way for the subway tunnel -- enough to fill a 50-story building covering a whole city block. And 50,000 tons of reinforcing steel was used to construct the subway box.

But the project also ran into snags. The BART-SFO extension was originally slated to open in December 2001, but that date was pushed back because construction was slowed by heavy rains and the deaths of two endangered San Francisco garter snakes on work sites.

The death of the first snake in April 2000 shut down construction for 18 days, costing BART about $1 million. Other delays pushed the opening to the end of 2002 and then into this year.

Tutor-Saliba/Slattery gave BART the all-clear sign on Monday.

County residents will see empty BART trains running up and down the extension between now and the opening. The trips are dress rehearsals
that are part of the final round of BART testing.

Despite earlier glitches, BART officials said there's no chance the opening will be delayed beyond the end of June.

"This (date) is a brick wall," said Molly MacArthur, a BART spokeswoman.

The $1.5 billion extension was paid for with a variety of funds. The federal government picked up about $750 million, while the state,
SFO, regional agencies and the County footed the rest of the bill.

It will cost $4.70 to ride from downtown San Francisco to SFO. A ride from downtown Oakland will cost $4.95. By 2010, BART officials expect
about 70,000 riders a day to use the extension.

Speaking to Bay area officials, San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown hinted Thursday there could be another push for a BART extension beyond Millbrae.

"It would not surprise me in the not too distant future if you were issued the challenge to complete the public transit encirclement of
the whole Bay area," Brown said.

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Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 19th 11:25 PM

San Francisco Examiner: Friday, April 18, 2003

Editorial: BART-to-SFO finally a reality

After years of debate, planning and construction, BART will finally send its first trains to the new station at the San Francisco International Airport on June 22, 2003.

It will be a momentous event. San Francisco will become one of the few cities in the world to have an underground transit system go directly into a major airport, and the BART-to-SFO link, along with the opening of other San Mateo County BART stations, is expected to provide an economic boost to the region.

For local residents, it will provide a wonder-fully efficient and affordable way to get to the airport.

Travelers will be able to hop on a train at their nearby neighborhood BART station and disembark in an airport terminal a half-hour later, just a short walk from the ticket counter.

For many Bay Area residents, the travel experience will begin and end in an entirely new and terrific way.

It's been a long and grueling road, fraught with political and funding potholes, but now it's just about done. It goes to show that major projects can still happen here.

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

[bennyp81]

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 19th 11:37 PM

San Francisco Examiner: Friday, April 18, 2003

BART gives start date for airport line

By Sara Zaske
Of The Examiner Staff

Starting June 22, Bay Area residents will be able to experience something entirely new -- taking BART to the San Francisco International Airport.

Friends of BART to the Airport, a nonprofit made up of business leaders and officials from BART, San Mateo County and San Francisco, held a press conference Thursday to announce the latest opening
date for the San Francisco International Airport Extension.

BART directors James Fang and Dan Richard announced that the nonprofit organization will work with BART to organize the inaugural
celebration.

"This is like the last spike being driven to complete the transcontinental railroad. We are proud that BART will now literally connect our riders with direct access to destinations on the
Peninsula, around the country and the world," said Fang, whose family owns The Examiner.

In contrast to previous dates set for the extension's opening, construction contractor Tutor-Saliba has now completed work on the
8.7-mile line. It is officially in BART hands, marking the start of an eight- to 10-week safety testing process.

San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin touted the new Peninsula transit service as a link to world-wide travel. "It means you can go from home to Rome or any international connection in the world.
BART becomes our pathway to the rest of the world," he said.

The new BART service will not only serve air travelers, but also bring rapid transit to the cities of South San Francisco, San Bruno and Millbrae for the first time.

San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown made sure to acknowledge the close working partnership with Peninsula cities.

"There is no question that the airport is the key to economic development and the quality of life for Millbrae, San Mateo, Redwood City, Burlingame,
Foster City, and points south of the airport," he said. "It shouldn't surprise you that each one of those individuals are very much involved."

However, the announcement of the new opening date was so closely guarded that some city mayors were actually surprised -- albeit pleasantly -- that BART had announced a new date.

Such details did not matter to San Bruno Mayor Larry Franzella as long as BART is on the way.

"As far as the date, we don't know what they are looking for, but we are ready for them to come," he said.

The Peninsula has been waiting for BART's appearance for almost 18 months as deadline dates have continually shifted ahead. "It has been
a sport, a game of ping pong, constantly bouncing around," said Millbrae Mayor Linda Larson. "I'm hopeful they will set a date and meet it."

Peninsula cities have also been preparing for their debut on the rapid transit map. South San Francisco has put in a $3 million road to ease traffic around BART.

In San Bruno, the Tanforan mall is undergoing a revamp in anticipation of new shoppers. Millbrae has developed an extensive plan for mixed-use development around its Intermodal Station.

Public safety officials have also been preparing for the possible problems that rapid transit could bring. "We haven't had our heads in the sand about this," said Larson. "But I think the Intermodal Station was conceived with public safety and the well-being of Millbrae in mind. Overall, BART will not bring too many negatives, it will bring a lot of positives."

E-mail: [e-mail]

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Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 19th 11:44 PM

Contra Costa Times: Friday, April 18, 2003

BART schedules June 22 as SFO extension opening

By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Contra Costa Times

SAN FRANCISCO -- BART officials Thursday eagerly announced June 22 as the long-overdue delivery date for the San Francisco Airport extension.

Under construction since 1997, the 8.7 mile, $1.5 billion project features four stations including a stop at the airport's front door.

"We have overcome obstacles of nearly biblical proportions," said BART Director Dan Richard of Walnut Creek.

"Whether it was a greedy airline industry, endangered snakes, mudslides, fires or budget problems, we made it. We are ready to deliver a world-class project for a world-class city."

Richard spoke Thursday to a giddy crowd of board colleagues, staffers, elected officials and business leaders gathered at the Embarcadero station to hear the elusive opening date with their own ears.

It's a bright spot in an otherwise grim year. BART has lost thousands of riders in the slowing economy and will likely raise fares and cut jobs next month to erase a projected $40 million deficit.

Enthused speakers included San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown Jr., who called the extension and the airport integral pieces of the Bay Area's quality of life and economic future.

"We will be able to go from home to Rome," boomed San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin. "BART will be our path to the world."

Rome-bound BART riders from the Pittsburg-Bay Point station will pay $13.80. From downtown Berkeley, the fare will be $10.30.

It's been a long wait for the ride. Last year, BART vowed to open the line in time for Christmas.

By mid-February, the contractors had not finished their work, and BART hung banners that said
"Opening Spring 2003."

BART staffers had taken to uttering the mantra,
"Soon, very soon."

The turning point came last week when BART and project contractors, Tutor-Saliba/Slattery Joint Venture and Sverdrup/Conco Joint Venture, officially declared the construction finished.

The contract specified that the builders were to have completed the job by Nov. 7, 2002, or pay $65,000 a day in penalties for every day
of delay. That totals nearly $10 million.

A six-month delay on a complex public works project is not unexpected, said BART General Manager Tom Margro.

"If this extension had been right down a freeway median, you might question the delay," Margro said. "But the contractors did a good job
considering the construction conditions. It just took longer than anyone expected."

BART now begins extensive testing to ensure that every piece from trains to computers to door knobs operates correctly. The agency must
obtain safety certification from the California Public Utilities Commission before it can carry fare-paying passengers.

While BART tests trains, Richard and his colleagues on the newly formed Friends of BART will plan the parties.

The Friends will host a reception for people who helped promote or build the extension and a public grand opening June 21.

Richard and Director James Fang of San Francisco formed the private charitable organization last year to collect donations for the ceremonies.

The men said they felt it inappropriate to use public money on a party while the agency lays off workers and hikes fares.

Lisa Vorderbrueggen covers transportation and growth. Reach her at 925-945-4773 or [e-mail]

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 19th 11:54 PM

Redwood City Daily News: Friday, April 18, 2003

Rail line opens June 22, 2003

By Thomas Leupold
Daily News Staff Writer

The new Bay Area Rapid Transit extension, including stations in Millbrae and at the San Francisco International Airport, will open
for business June 22, the district announced yesterday.

Those stations, along with ones in South San Francisco and San Bruno, will be part of the new 8.7 miles of BART line opening to the public.

In Millbrae, Mayor Linda Larson said the long wait has caused some apprehension over the opening.

"We've been anticipating the opening for so long, it's actually become a feared event," Larson said.

Larson said that she hopes once it opens people will see the benefits of the intermodal station that will be a key piece of the transportation corridor. Travelers will be able to go from San Jose, starting on Caltrain, all the way to Dublin, Orinda and Concord.

"This is quite possibly one of the most amazing feats we'll ever see in our lifetime," Larson said.

The city is readying for the event with a BART-sponsored pre-opening celebration at the station on May 3.

Also, an additional $75,000 has been budgeted for additional traffic enforcement that may be needed.

The station is prepared to handle 30,000 to 40,000 passengers per day, BART spokesman Mike Healy said.

Officials have said they expect the numbers to start out moderate and grow as people make mass transit part of their daily routine.

The soon-to-be-opened section of track is expected
to be carrying 70,000 people per day by 2010, Healy said.

The extension to the airport has been considered since 1956, before the first track was laid.

"A lot of politics have been involved in getting BART to this point," Healy said. "We've been waiting for this for a long time."

After it opens, riders can travel from the airport to the Embarcadero station in downtown San Francisco for $4.70. Trains will leave every 15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes at night.

Trains will be able to leave from the airport as often as every 7.5 minutes during peak times, if necessary.

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 20th 12:39 AM

San Mateo Independent: Saturday, April 19, 2003

BART sets another date with county commuters
Line to open in June connecting Bay Area

By Sara Zaske
Independent Newspapers

SAN FRANCISCO -- After many fits and false start dates, BART will hopefully slide down the Peninsula starting June 22.

Friends of BART to the Airport, a nonprofit made up of business leaders and officials from BART, San Mateo County and San Francisco, held a press conference Thursday to announce the latest opening date for the San Francisco International Airport Extension.

In contrast to previous dates set for the extension's opening, construction contractor Tutor-Saliba has now completed work on the
8.7-mile line. It is officially in BART hands, marking the start of an eight- to 10-week safety testing process.

San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin touted the new Peninsula transit service as a link to worldwide travel. "It means you can go from home to Rome or any international connection in the world. BART becomes our pathway to the rest of the world," he said.

The new BART service will not only serve air travelers, but also bring rapid transit to the cities of South San Francisco, San Bruno and Millbrae for the first time. San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown made sure to acknowledge the close working partnership with Peninsula cities.

"There is no question that the airport is the key to economic development and the quality of life for Millbrae, San Mateo, Redwood City, Burlingame, Foster City, and points south of the airport," he said. "It shouldn't surprise you that each one of those individual cities is very much involved."

However, the announcement of the new opening date was so closely guarded that some city mayors were actually surprised albeit pleasantly that BART had announced a new date.

Such details do not matter to San Bruno Mayor Larry Franzella as long as BART is on the way.
"As far as the date, we don't know what they are looking for, but we are ready for them to come," he said.

The Peninsula has been waiting for BART's appearance for almost 18 months as deadline dates have continually shifted ahead.

"It has been a sport, a game of ping pong, constantly bouncing around," said Millbrae Mayor Linda Larson. "I'm hopeful they will set a date and meet it."

The original target for getting the extension up and running was December 2001, but it was pushed back to fall 2002 and then January 2003.

Many, including BART's project partner, San Mateo County Transit Agency SamTrans, had banked on the March 2003 opening. As of March 24, Caltrain has been running a new schedule, adjusted to connect with yet-to-appear BART trains at the Millbrae Intermodal Station.

While an opening date has been set, SamTrans and BART are still working out sharing the cost of operations. SamTrans already kicked in $171 million toward the $1.5 billion project and will be picking up some of the costs of its operation.

While the agencies have agreed to share ticket and parking revenue, BART wants SamTrans to foot the entire tab for operating the extension, but the San Mateo County agency is pushing for a split cost.

Peninsula cities have also been preparing for their debut on the rapid transit map. South San Francisco has put in a $3 million road to ease traffic around BART. In San Bruno, the Tanforan mall is undergoing a revamp in anticipation of new shoppers. Millbrae has developed an extensive plan for mixed-use development around its
Intermodal Station.

Public safety officials have also been preparing for the possible negative problems that rapid transit could bring with it. "We haven't had our heads in the sand about this," said Larson.

"But I think the Intermodal Station was conceived with public safety and the well-being of Millbrae in mind. Overall, BART will not bring too many negatives, it will bring a lot of positives."

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

[bennyp81]

Cliffj
User ID: 0485244 Apr 21st 7:53 AM

THIS IS SOOOOO HOT! After months of reading about how to get the Green Line through LAX and the opening of the Gold Line to Pasadena, which for us is a BIG DEAL, I didn't realize(or had forgotten) that the grandfather of modern rail transit in the state of California was sophisticated and innovative to build this extention. Like others, I'd heard of the "SFO Extention" and thought it was just a line to the airport. But this is going to be GRAND....JUST GRAND!

Cliffj
User ID: 0485244 Apr 21st 7:55 AM

....In otherwords 'DA BOMB'!!!

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 22nd 12:36 AM

San Francisco Chronicle: Sunday, April 20, 2003

Column: Gasoline, Bechtel, beer, BART and Baghdad

By Alan T. Saracevic

So, I was thinking ...

-- Bechtel's the most connected, most successful construction firm in the world. It's based in San Francisco. It built BART. Why didn't we get it to build BART to the airport? I think my 2-year-old, armed with a pail and a shovel, coulda built 9 miles of track faster than the clowns that are just now finishing the long-anticipated project.

-- Of course, my 2-year-old rarely encounters endangered snakes at the neighborhood sandbox. Mostly slugs.

-- And while I'm up here on the soapbox, when are people gonna stop complaining about gas prices? Even at $2 per gallon, it's pretty much the cheapest petrol in the world. It hasn't gone up dramatically in 20 years. Get over it. Take the bus. Whateva.

-- This just in. The beer industry says it contributes more than $144 billion per year to the U.S. economy. And you were worried about gas
prices.

-- I'm worried about this nation's union leadership. The airline industry is having its way with the unions, and no one seems to care.
All you have to do is cry bankruptcy and the unions fold. Like a deck of cards.

-- Lee fared better at Appomattox.

-- Union leaders at American Airlines are mad because they agreed to huge wage concessions, and then learned some of the carrier's executives received big bonuses.

-- Apparently, American union leaders were also shocked to learn that executives get free drinks in first class.

-- Note to American union members: Don't let your union leaders fly any planes, huh?

-- I've seen smarter unions involving Darva Conger.

-- American Airlines executives gave back their bonuses Friday, citing the union's objections. Of course, management will keep their pension fund that is protected from bankruptcy. The union also agreed to purchase a bridge in Baghdad from airline management.

-- All right, all right. Let's get back to the beer. I could use one. Did you know that there are 560,000 places to buy beer in this country?
Alas, only 70,000 of them are here in California.

-- By the way, it's Easter Sunday. So slice up some ham and break out the Peeps.

-- Peep this. Just Born Inc., the Bethlehem, Pa., firm that makes the sugary staples of Easter kitsch, turned 50 this year. The BART-to-the-
airport project will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2006.

-- Spurned for the airport project, Bechtel's going to rebuild Iraq instead.

Maybe it can extend BART into Baghdad. Make it easier for the ChevronTexaco folks to go pick up their winnings.

-- Which brings me back to gasoline prices. Let's do some comparison shopping. How much was your house worth in 1980? And now? OK. Now, tell me how much were you paying for gas on the way to your favorite disco back then? And now? Thought so.

-- Inflation is a foreign concept to gas whiners. If gas prices rose in step with the rest of our costs, we wouldn't be seeing soccer moms driving their kids around in Bradley armored vehicles. Cheap gas is bad.

-- But cheap beer is good. Our nation's brewers say the beer biz employs about 1.66 million Americans, paying them $47 billion in wages and benefits.

-- "This study reaffirms the beer industry's pre-eminence as a critical economic sector in the nation," said National Beer Wholesalers Association President David Rehr, as part of his group's 2003 Beer Industry Economic Impact Study.

-- Does that include the cost of liver transplants? Hmmm.

-- The beer industry also says it pays $27 billion in business, personal and consumption taxes, including $5.1 billion in excise taxes.May-
be they can pay off my tab at the bar? Maybe not.

-- Maybe I need to think about this a little more.

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Apr 22nd 12:43 AM

San Francisco Chronicle: Monday, April 21, 2003

Busiest new BART station to be Millbrae--not SFO: Beyond the airport, Caltrain transfer will link to the Peninsula, South Bay

By Michael Cabanatuan
Chronicle Staff Writer

BART's much-anticipated 8.7-mile extension down the Peninsula has become known in Bay Area parlance as "BART to SFO" or "the airport
extension."

But maybe they should call it "the Millbrae extension" or "BART to Caltrain. "

After all, the $1.5 billion project -- whose June 22 opening was announced Thursday -- doesn't end at San Francisco International Airport. The end of the line is Millbrae.

And while travelers, tourists and airport employees will fill many of the cushioned seats, commuters from the Peninsula and the South Bay
are expected to flock to the extension -- especially the Millbrae station.

That station -- not SFO -- is expected to be the extension's busiest, in large part because it will house both BART and Caltrain, making
transfers between the rail systems quick and convenient. And it will also be served by 10 SamTrans bus routes.

"It's the big one," said Molly MacArthur, a BART spokeswoman. "It's going to be a hive of activity. It's really more than a BART station,
it's a transit hub. And that's really a new thing for us at BART."

Projections estimate that the four-station extension will generate 70,000 new trips per day by 2010. Estimates for immediate ridership
have not been made, MacArthur said. Nearly half of those 2010 trips -- 33,000 per day -- are expected to begin or end at Millbrae.

Only about a quarter of the total -- 17,000 per day -- will be SFO station passengers, while South San Francisco and San Bruno stations
are each expected to draw about 10,000 per day.

The estimates were made as part of the environ-mental impact studies for the extension in 1995. No projections for the first months or year of operation have been produced, MacArthur said.

And although the number of flights and passengers departing from and arriving at SFO has dropped sharply since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, BART officials also said they are optimistic that ridership on the extension will not be significantly affected by that shift.

Some transportation officials, in fact, are concerned that the extension could be overwhelmed if they're not prepared for big crowds at the Millbrae station.

"The perception is that the airport is the big deal," said Mike Nevin, a San Mateo County supervisor and longtime backer of the extension.

"We've wanted it so long and waited so long, and the airport is a big deal. But the real big deal is connectivity to Caltrain, to the Peninsula and to the South Bay."

The easy BART-to-Caltrain connection will permit commuters from San Francisco and the East Bay to travel down the Peninsula into Silicon Valley or as far as Gilroy with a single, easy transfer at Millbrae.

And it will give San Francisco-bound commuters an alternative to winding up at the Caltrain terminal
at Fourth and King streets.

Nevin expects that the combined pull of BART and Caltrain will reach deep into the Peninsula, and perhaps beyond. And some members of the
Chronicle's Two Cents pool of readers agreed.

"My family will be much more inclined to take BART from the end of the line into San Francisco for big events or downtown destinations," said Jane Stillinger of Capitola. "Since we will have a shorter round-trip to drive, we will probably do more activities while we are in the Bay Area."

And while many San Mateo County residents will undoubtedly ride BART, Nevin predicted that one of the biggest benefits of the extension --
even for those who don't use it -- will be less traffic congestion, particularly near the airport and in the northern part of the county.

"We're a pass-through community between two urban centers, and most traffic on 101 and 280 is bet-ween those two cities," he said. "But it's our taxpayers who are being asked to pay for improvements."

Still, in addition to relieving traffic, creating a quicker connection between San Francisco and the South Bay and carrying travelers to and from their flights out of SFO, the extension will also serve local San Mateo County residents.

"Opening these stations will be a big benefit for me," said Robert Goldman of South San Francisco.
"I don't drive but have many appointments in Burlingame. Open them now. I can't wait."

E-mail:
Michael Cabanatuan at [e-mail]

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

Marty
User ID: 0798784 Apr 22nd 1:19 AM

Maybe LA County officials should read this article - it might help them figure out that a Green Line/Metrolink connection is worthwhile...

Ken Alpern
User ID: 0923684 Apr 22nd 6:20 AM

Agreed, Marty--is there not a parallel between Westminster down here and Millbrae up there, in that a Westminster connection to the Green Line allows both LAX and MetroRail access for the entire Westside?

Roberto
User ID: 9161143 Apr 22nd 6:24 AM
Ken, Ken, you're mixing up Orange County and the Westside again. The Green Line is supposed to go to Westchester (though I would not complain about a connection to Westminster ... great Vietnamese food!)

Ken Alpern
User ID: 0923684 Apr 22nd 6:38 AM

Boy, it must be the early morning and the coffee not working yet! Yep, I'm glad you caught me!

The parallel here is between Westchester and Millbrae, not Westminster (which is, unfortunately, nowhere near any transit lines yet).

Cliffj
User ID: 0812164 Apr 22nd 6:39 AM

I thought Marty was talking about the Norwalk Connection...?

Robert
User ID: 9301033 Apr 22nd 10:42 AM

Commuter Rail to LAX, Green Line to LAX, Amtrak to LAX, Cars (SUVs) left at home parked in the garage, lets move on it! Go Team Go!!!

Bob

[bennyp81]

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 May 8th 12:40 PM

San Mateo Independent: Tuesday, May 6, 2003

Making the Peninsula connection; Long on costs and time, the BART/Caltrain marriage attractive to county transit riders

By Sara Zaske
Independent Newspapers

MILLBRAE -- Cheap and quick have not been words associated with the BART Peninsula extension to date. Building the 8.7-mile line took more than $1.4 billion and decades of political effort. The first train will arrive 18 months late.

Come June 22, when the extension finally opens, riding BART to San Francisco does not promise to be a particularly inexpensive or fast proposition for many Peninsula commuters -- especially those living south of the Millbrae Intermodal station.

While much has been made of the marriage of BART and Caltrain at Millbrae, little has been said about the actual ticket cost for making that connection. Both Caltrain and BART have been tinkering with fare prices.

Commuters to San Francisco should be prepared to pay for two tickets and station parking.

When the extension line opens. Redwood City riders
will pay about $14, and San Mateo residents $11 roundtrip for tickets on Caltrain, BART and parking. It will also take almost an hour to get to downtown San Francisco.

Still, on a recent morning at the Hillsdale Caltrain station in San Mateo, many riders were undeterred by the cost and the travel time.

San Mateo resident Timonie Hood is seriously con-sidering making the BART/Caltrain connection in June. "I think it might be faster, but I'll have to check," she said. "It will definitely get me closer to work, so that eliminates the walking time."

Many of the Caltrain riders work in the heart of San Francisco's financial district, which is more than a mile from the end of the Caltrain line.

BART, on the other hand, runs right under Market
Street, dropping many riders at the revolving doors of their office buildings.

The transit devotees at Caltrain would not even consider driving as an alternative. "I usually work on the train," said Linnea Wong. "And it is faster than driving with traffic, and parking is
really expensive up there."

Transit funds depend on number of riders
SamTrans hopes that other commuters who normally drive will also see the ultimate convenience of the Caltrain/BART connection. In fact, they are banking on it.

Using funds from sales tax and other federal, state and local dollars, SamTrans heavily subsid-izes both bus and Caltrain service, which it oper-ates along with Santa Clara and San Francisco counties. The BART extension, however, is expected
to pay for itself -- eventually.

SamTrans, not BART, will be collecting all of the fares that start or end on the BART Extension line. And the Peninsula transit agency will also take half of the parking receipts.

In exchange, SamTrans is expected to cover the operation costs of the line, expected to be
around $40 million annually -- a figure that might
change somewhat as SamTrans and BART continue to haggle over details of their agreement.

Initial revenues are expected to be $10 million to $15 million short of operation costs. But SamTrans hopes to reach "revenue neutrality"
within five years, said Jayme Maltbie, the agency's spokesperson.

Almost every transit agency has low numbers of riders because of the economy, but extension ridership is predicted to rise over the next
several years.

Initial projections hover around 36,000 trips a day when the line opens this summer, rising to 70,000 trips by 2010.

Maltbie cautioned that commuter numbers are hard to gauge at this point. "This is really a diffi-cult economic climate to make those kinds of estimates in," she said.

"At the time of making ridership projections, we believed in an economic boom to some degree. Now we are in 'wait and see' mode until the extension opens."

Caltrain/BART transfer costs set to change
As a regular commuter, Timonie Hood is ready to get her calculator out to see if taking Caltrain to BART is worth buying two tickets to get into the city. She may have several calculations to make because actual costs for using the system have yet to stabilize.

For many Peninsula patrons looking to use the new Caltrain/BART connection at Millbrae, there will be one price at the June opening, another in September and then possibly another in January.

Not all the changes pencil out to bad news for Peninsula riders' bankbooks. Caltrain's fare zone changes, effective in September, will actually benefit many train devotees looking to take BART to the San Francisco.

Under the new plan, Caltrain stations from
Redwood City to Millbrae will all be grouped into one zone, so riders at any of these stations will only pay $1.75 to get to the BART connection at Millbrae.

The drop in Caltrain fare may help soften the blow
of a proposed increase on the BART line. After more than a year of stagnant revenues, the BART board is considering a 10 percent fare increase
and a nickel surcharge specifically aimed at seismic retrofit work.

The BART board is holding a public hearing on the proposed changes on May 22. While San Mateo
County residents are welcome to comment about the increase, their voices will not necessarily be heard.

Because the Peninsula decided not to opt into the BART system in the same fashion as other regions, there is no San Mateo County representative on the BART board, and the SamTrans board has no
official say over BART's base fares.

As a SamTrans board member who has been heavily involved in the BART extension, County Supervisor Mike Nevin feels that San Mateo County definitely had influence even though the opportunity to become a voting part of BART is long past.

"I can't cry over spilt milk, but we are in contact with BART and we do work closely together," Nevin said. "And we all want the same
thing -- more ridership, not less.

Nevin does not believe BART's increase would hurt the extension's popularity. "Business travelers are going to use the BART system whether there is a 10 percent increase or not," he said.

While against the proposed 10 percent fare increase, BART Board member James Fang said the benefits to Peninsula riders will far outweigh the costs regardless.

"It might be a little inconvenient in terms of price -- and I want to stress that it's not definite that it will go up," he said.

"But it's very fair to say that the convenience of getting on Caltrain to Millbrae to the heart of San Francisco in just 25 to 30 minutes is just incredible."

Accountant Jason Palmer shrugged off the cost of the BART ticket, but he was more concerned about wasting time on a Caltrain-transfer.

"I think I'm just going to drive to Millbrae," said the Redwood Shores resident. "The more lines of transit I use, the longer my commute gets.

Then, I have to start timing when one arrives with the other, so if I can do it with just one, I think it will be a lot quicker."

THE BART CONNECTION : The cost of riding BART to the City: One-way to Downtown San Francisco Embarcadero Station

	Estimated travel time in minutes	June 2003 (Grand Opening)	Sept. 2003 Caltrain fare zone charge	Jan. 2004 BART increases (proposed)	Additional Parking Cost
Millbrae (BART Only)	33	$3.30	$3.30	$3.65	$2.00
Burlingame Broadway Station via Caltrain	37	$5.50	$5.05	$5.40	$1.50
San Mateo Hillsdale Station via Caltrain	43	$5.50	$5.05	$5.40	$1.50
Belmont via Caltrain	46	$5.50	$5.05	$5.40	$1.50
San Carlos via Caltrain	49	$6.30	$5.05	$5.40	$1.50
Redwood City via Caltrain	54	$6.30	$5.05	$5.40	$1.50

Caltrain times are based on weekday, peak-hour tiains with the fewest number of stops.

Sara Zaske: 650-652-6736/[e-mail]

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 May 10th 11:34 PM

BART (via Business Wire): Tuesday, April 29, 2003

Millbrae BART Station Art Unveiling & Open House

OAKLAND -- BART, SamTrans and the City of Millbrae
will host an Art Unveiling and Open House on Sat-urday, May 3, 2003 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at
the new Millbrae BART Station located at 200 North
Rollins Road.

Life-size bronze sculptures created by Scott Dona-hue and terrazzo benches created by Donna Billick will be unveiled. The community celebration will feature community leaders, information booths, live entertainment, and refreshments. The event opens the station doors to the public for the first time.

The new Millbrae Station will allow BART, Caltrain and SamTrans to connect in one inter-modal location, thereby maximizing regional
travel options to passengers throughout the greater Bay Area.

A BART train and one of Caltrain's new "Baby Bullet's" [sic] will be parked at the station.

The new Millbrae BART Station is part of the $1.5 billion dollar, four station, 8.7-mile BART-SFO Extension project. By the year 2010, BART patronage at the Millbrae Station is expected to reach 33,000 riders daily.

Note to Editors & Assignment Desks: An advance tour of the art and the station for the media can be arranged. Please call Molly McArthur at [phone] for more information.

For questions about Caltrain or SamTrans, please call Jayme Maltbie at [phone].

The BART Millbrae Station is located on Rollins Road at the Millbrae Avenue juncture, off El Camino Real.

BART CONTACTS:
Mike Healy, 510/464-7110 Email: [e-mail] or Molly McArthur, 650/689-8411 (office), 650/222-3367 (cellular) Email: [e-mail]

Þ-®-Þ-®-Þ

[bennyp81]

Bart Reed
User ID: 1606604 Aug 23rd 1:20 PM

CONTRA COSTA TIMES Posted on Fri, Aug. 16, 2002
www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/3875758.htm

BART announces fares to SFO, new San Mateo County stations; Long-term parking and more direct lines are yet to be determined

By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Staff Writer

OAKLAND - The price of a BART ride to the San Francisco airport looks to be a sweet deal for East Bay travelers.

The transit district's staff unveiled proposed fares Thursday that put the cost of traveling to the airport by train on par with a pair of lattes. BART says it will open the $1.5 billion extension in January.

The one-way fare from Pittsburg-Bay Point, the farthest station from the airport, would cost $6.90. A trip from Dublin-Pleasanton would cost $6.60. Richmond patrons would plunk down $5.60.

The cheap ride will not help folks with early or late departures and many weekend flights. BART did not adjust its schedule to match airline timetables. And it does not plan to install luggage racks, so travel light.

But the price adds up to far less than travelers would pay for a shuttle or taxi. If a patron wangles a ride to a BART station and avoids parking charges there, it even beats the cost of driving to the airport.

The BART board appears ready to adopt the staff recommendations next week, but not without fierce debate over a fare structure established more than 10 years ago. BART and the San Mateo County Transit District, or SamTrans, cut the extension deal in 1990.

It places SamTrans on the hook for extension operating costs, and SamTrans receives 100 percent of the fare from every trip that starts or ends in San Mateo County.

Unlike the recent Santa Clara County extension deal, no provision exists to pay BART for the impacts of riders to or from San Mateo County on the rest of the system.

In addition to the base fare, here is what riders will pay to use the extension:

• Patrons who board or exit at the airport station pay a $1.50 premium. BART will use the money to pay off $79 million in construction loans.

• Airline employees will receive a 25 percent discount on the fare for trips to and from work at the airport. The deal does not include airport workers such as security screeners or administrative staff.

• With two exceptions, patrons who board or exit any of the other San Mateo County stations will pay a $1 surcharge to help cover operating costs. SamTrans will underwrite the surcharge for patrons who travel to the airport from San Mateo County stations.

BART policy bars double-charging for extra fees, so East Bay riders will not pay the $1 because they already pay a 66-cent Transbay Tube surcharge.

SamTrans officials opted to cover the surcharge in order to encourage local residents to use BART rather than drive.

BART director Tom Radulovich argued that the exemptions leave San Franciscans to pay the bulk of the surcharge.

On the other hand, San Francisco riders can buy a Muni-BART pass, which entitles them to pay a minimum 70-cent base BART fare compared with $1.10 in the East Bay.

"There are a lot of inequities in the fare system on both sides," said board President Joel Keller of Antioch. "That's why we've agreed to examine the fare structure as a whole, but in the meantime, we need to approve fares for the extension."

SamTrans' board adopted the fares Wednesday, which leaves only one unresolved issue between the two agencies: Who pays the annual $2 million rent for the airport station?

The airlines insisted on charging rent during the 1990 talks. They feared the airport would hike landing fees to operate the station.

BART considers rent an operating expense San Mateo should pay, but SamTrans has questioned this.

Meanwhile, other airport-related matters of interest to East Bay riders, such as long-term parking and direct service, must still win board approval.

The district staff proposes opening airport parking lots at the Walnut Creek, El Cerrito del Norte and Bay Fair stations -- 500 spaces total --at a cost of $7 a day. Drivers who leave their cars for more than 24 hours in a standard space would pay a $100 fine.

No proposal has surfaced for direct service from more than one line. The initial plan requires riders on all lines except Dublin-Pleasanton to transfer at least once to reach the airport.

Several East Bay directors objected, and operations experts agreed to re-evaluate the options. But BART must adopt a schedule soon because bus agencies that serve its stations need several months advance notice to adjust their own schedules.

Þ--Þ--Þ

Robert
User ID: 8750183 Aug 24th 3:04 AM
More info:

www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/2002/08/24/news/local/3921889.htm

Posted on Fri, Aug. 23, 2002

BART finalizes January fares to SFO
The option is cheaper, but not necessarily more convenient; not all train times coincide with flights
By Dogen Hannah
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

OAKLAND - The BART board set fares Thursday for the ride to San Francisco International Airport and created long-term parking at three East Bay stations.

For East Bay residents, taking the train will be less costly -- though not always as convenient -- than hiring a shuttle or a taxi. It also will be cheaper than driving to and from the airport and paying for long-term parking there.

The extension is scheduled to open in January. The one-way fare from Pittsburg-Bay Point, the farthest station from the airport, is $6.90. The trip from Dublin-Pleasanton costs $6.60, and from Richmond it is $5.60.

Six of nine board members voted for the fares. Directors Roy Nakadegawa and Tom Radulovich dissented, while James Fang was absent.

Also Thursday, the board reserved some 500 parking spaces in the Walnut Creek, El Cerrito del Norte and Bay Fair stations as long-term parking for patrons traveling to and from the airport.

The cost to park will be $7 a day. BART will slap a $100 fine on motorists who park in a standard space longer than 24 hours.

The $1.5 billion extension will not be as much help to travelers on flights early in the morning or late in the evening and on many weekend flights. BART's schedule does not always coincide with airline timetables.

The new fares remain subject to at least one change, but not one that would affect East Bay riders. The change depends on how BART and the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) resolve a dispute about which agency should pay for the new service.

A 12-year-old agreement between the agencies requires SamTrans to cover the 8.7-mile extension's operating costs and gives SamTrans all the fare revenue from every trip that starts or stops in San Mateo County. The agreement provides nothing to BART to pay for the impact San Mateo County riders will have on the rest of its system.

For that reason, BART has currently levied a $1 surcharge on patrons who embark or disembark at San Mateo County's four stations. Because SamTrans has tentatively agreed to reimburse BART for the cost of taking on San Mateo County riders, BART has agreed to rescind the surcharge once the two agencies formally settle that issue and other cost-sharing issues.

That easily could happen in the four months before the extension opens, BART spokesman Mike Healy said. "My guess is that the agreement will be worked out before then."

In a related matter, Gov. Gray Davis announced Thursday that the California Transportation Commission has approved spending more than $20 million to improve BART.

That includes $19.5 million to prepare for strengthening BART bridges and Transbay Tubes to withstand a major earthquake. The commission approved another $1.1 million for BART to spend studying ways to improve transit connections in the Interstate 580 corridor between Pleasanton and Livermore.

Reach Dogen Hannah at 925-945-4794 or [e-mail].