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Politics & Government

BART Budget Includes New Seats, Elevator Repairs

The transit board considers a $1.36 billion budget for next year that includes $35 million in projects.

BART directors last week were given a $1.36 billion budget proposal for next fiscal year that includes $35 million in funds for improvement projects.

The directors discussed the spending plan at their regular board meeting Thursday at the BART board room in the Kaiser Center, 344 20th St., Oakland.

The directors were being asked to approve the budget in concept. A final budget must be approved by the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.

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The $1.36 billion proposal is slightly higher than anticipated because of unexpected growth in ridership and sales tax revenue.

BART managers want to use $35 million of the extra money for capital projects. They are recommending $24 million be set aside until a state budget is approved and BART officials know how much money will be coming from Sacramento.

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The remaining $11 million would be spent on "high priority initiatives." Among them is $4 million for elevator rehabiliation, $1.8 million for seat replacement, $300,000 for elevator and escalator maintenance and $200,000 for rail noise abatement.

BART officials said the seat replacement and noise abatement projects are "stopgap measures" until the transit system gets a new fleet of cars, starting in 2018.

A project not included in the $11 million is $1.2 million for a pilot program to extend BART service for an extra hour on Friday evenings while starting train service one hour later on Saturday mornings.

The BART board will be asked to approve that project later this year.

Everybody makes mistakes ... ! If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at emilier@patch.com. 

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