Escalators & Elevators That Work

The first way BART must start making its system accessible to all is by keeping the elevators and escalators clean and functioning. It’s so simple, and yet Republican Director Fang has not been able to deliver on it in his 24 years in office. Elevators and escalators are the only route off the platform for so many BART riders, and even one elevator out of service can mean that those using wheelchairs have to go all the way to the next BART station and then take a bus or paratransit from there, just to get to where they were supposed to be in the first place. And this isn’t even an unusual occurrence. BART elevators break down almost 100 times a month. And some elevators, like the one at Powell Street Station, have inexcusably taken months to fix.

BART should prioritize replacing its old and broken elevators and escalators so that breakdowns are the exception and not the norm. BART should take this opportunity to replace the elevators with models that are larger and faster, to carry more riders. And when the elevators are functioning, BART should make sure they are clean, fresh, and provide a dignified ride.

Signs That Help You Get Where You Need To Go

BART has a signage problem. We’ve all experienced that panicky feeling of having our BART train pull into an unfamiliar station and not being able to see a sign telling us which station we’re at. And I’ve often wondered how tourists manage when they’re on a platform, unable to find one of the carefully hidden BART system maps, trying to figure out whether they want to be headed to Daly City or Richmond.

BART needs to have more signs, and ones that are bigger, clearer and and better lit. It’s of tremendous importance for all commuters, but especially those who are partially sighted or who are mobility impaired.

BART shouldn’t stop at better fixed signage, though. BART should have dynamic signage, which lets riders know in advance when elevators or escalators are broken, and correspondingly directs them to the next best route up to the street or down to the platform. It should also have dynamic signs at all station entrances, and throughout the station, telling folks when their train is arriving so that they don’t have to rush down to the platform unnecessarily.

See It And Hear It

BART likes to keep most of its stations dimly lit. Maybe to keep riders from seeing how dirty they are? Recently, BART was actually planning to make its stations even dimmer. For those who are partially sighted, this is just one more slight by BART. They need the simple dignity of properly lit stations to help them navigate safely and confidently.

BART’s muffled audio announcements are a frustration to all of us. To those in our community who rely on the audio announcements, their poor quality fundamentally impairs their ability to use the system or be safe in the case of an emergency. In a city that is home to so many innovative audio companies, we have no excuse not to provide riders with clear and precise announcements.

Accessible Infrastructure

A few years ago, BART spent $2 million on a new ramp leading to the Lafayette station—and yet managed to leave out provisions for wheelchairs to get from the parking lot to the access ramp. More recently, BART again demonstrated again its disregard for disabled access when it unveiled its “Fleet of the Future.” Smack in the middle of the entrance to each train car stood a pole, which for wheelchair users might as well have been a sign that read “NO ACCESS.” Director Fang, after 24 years in office, must take responsibility for how BART continues to build in such a way as to make it more difficult for those with disabilities to get around.