The new Downtown Berkeley BART Station Plaza opened to the public on October 18, 2018, featuring enhanced bus and BART connectivity, pedestrian improvements and modern environmental elements.
One of the most noticeable changes is the sleek glass and steel main entrance enclosure.
The plaza is designed to improve both safety and walkability through LED lighting, granite aggregate pavers with neutral color tones, public art and landscaping. All on-site stormwater will be treated through bio-retention planters and landscaping.
(Find out more of our efforts to prevent storm water pollution here.)
BART and the City of Berkeley first began their collaboration in 2006 with initial planning and design. Using a community-based design process, the goals were to enhance multi-modal transit access to expand ridership; increase accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists, reorganize the public space to better accommodate transit users and, importantly, to reflect the identity of the community and history of Downtown Berkeley.
Main Entrance concept, Images provided by Office of District Architect, BART
Construction on the project began in July of 2016. It was funded by State Prop 1B and local area grants including Measure F. The overall budget was $13 million including $9.4 million for construction. The project was completed within budget.
Click on the link below for details on the new plaza's features:
