BART station closures plan: up to 15 stations could shut in 2027

BART station closures plan was approved Thursday as a fallback option. The agency says it would be triggered if voters reject a proposed regional sales tax measure expected to appear on the ballot later this year, as reported by CBS News.

What the Alternative Service Plan would change?

The BART Board of Directors backed the “Alternative Service Plan” on an 8–1 vote, as BART notes, setting out potential station closures alongside broader service reductions. Also, the plan would allow BART to close up to 15 of its 50 stations beginning in the second half of 2027.

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In addition, it lays out other changes: nightly service would end at 9 p.m., riders would face longer waits for trains, and fares would increase by at least 30%. About 1,200 BART employees could also face layoffs under the Alternative Service Plan.

Timeline for possible station closures and service cuts

A previous version of the BART station closures plan would have begun shutting stations at the start of 2027. Meanwhile, BART said it would draw on reserve funds to delay that step by six months, pushing the start of closures into the second half of 2027 while keeping the same contingency approach.

Sales tax measure, counties affected, and BART deficit

The board approved the contingency plan as BART asks voters to support a regional sales tax increase intended to stabilize its finances. Separately, the agency says it is facing a $350 million structural deficit as emergency funding from the COVID-19 pandemic is set to run out this year.

If approved, the sales tax proposal would raise taxes by 0.5% in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and by 1% in San Francisco, according to Railway Supply.

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