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Home » BART’s New $90M Fare Gates To Be Installed Systemwide To “Enhance Safety And Improve Access”

BART’s New $90M Fare Gates To Be Installed Systemwide To “Enhance Safety And Improve Access”

by CLAYCORD.com
38 comments

current BART fare gates in Concord

BART is moving forward with a purchase of brand-new fare gates to be installed systemwide as part of its latest effort to “win riders back and overhaul safety in the system.”

The new fare gates will bring a new look and improved experience, offering state-of-the-art technology that will boost safety by reducing fare evasion, enhancing access for people in wheelchairs and those who bring bikes and strollers on BART, and optimizing the reliability and maintenance needs of the fare gates, according to BART.

At the March 23, 2023, BART Board of Directors meeting, staff recommended the Board move forward with the first purchase of the $90 million Next Generation Fare Gate project.

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Staff recommended awarding up to $47 million to STraffic America to implement the project. BART staff will develop an installation timeline with STraffic and will stress-test the new fare gate design at a yet-to-be-determined station later this year.

The project calls for all stations to have new fare gates by 2026.

The new fare gates will look unlike any other of the current 700 fare gates in the BART system. While the new design has not yet been finalized, the gates will have clear swing barriers that will be very difficult to be pushed through, jumped over, or maneuvered under.

The next generation fare gates will not have the orange fins riders have become accustomed to. They will also be different than the new swing-style fare gates designed by BART staff and recently installed to enclose elevators into the paid area.

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38 comments


Original G March 23, 2023 - 1:20 PM - 1:20 PM

Poor deluded optimists

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Glen223 March 24, 2023 - 10:15 AM - 10:15 AM

“Enhance safety and improve access”?

To who – the fate evaders?

How about enforcing the laws? How about waking up the station agents?

NoMoreFreeRide March 23, 2023 - 1:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Makes me feel safer already!

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Fred March 23, 2023 - 2:01 PM - 2:01 PM

SO… why didn’t they install these when they build BART ?
Did you know that a City cop cannot arrest a fare evader if they see them do it – only BART cops.

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Juryisout March 23, 2023 - 2:18 PM - 2:18 PM

@Fred Wrong professor, any LEO can detain and arrest if need be on any property.

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WC March 23, 2023 - 4:53 PM - 4:53 PM

Yep. Most people don’t know a Game Warden can give you a speeding ticket. If you see one on the freeway, don’t temp ticket fate.

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Fred March 24, 2023 - 6:47 AM - 6:47 AM

I know that much better than you do. It is POLICY of the PD’s that they will not cite violators.

Old-school guy March 24, 2023 - 7:00 AM - 7:00 AM

Fred. BART was built in the 1960s, during a much more civilized and respectful time. But to your point, BART should have improved the gates when the fare jumpers became a daily occurrence.

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Jay Clemons March 25, 2023 - 8:43 AM - 8:43 AM

Thank you for this courteous and accurate comment. In the original design, even the “surveillance” cameras in the cars were “dummies” as the cars were never expected to be crime scenes; but the coarsening of our culture required actual cameras to eventually be installed, better late than never.

Juryisout March 23, 2023 - 2:19 PM - 2:19 PM

What a waste of money…

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Domo March 23, 2023 - 2:21 PM - 2:21 PM

..looks like you could still jump / step over those easily – how is it safer? why not fix the real problem? duh….

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Rollo Tomasi March 23, 2023 - 3:16 PM - 3:16 PM

The picture caption lets you know that is a picture of the existing gates.

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Dorothy March 23, 2023 - 2:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Final design hasn’t been finished yet? Okay, let’s buy them and hope for the best – or at least better than what is there. Until then don’t look for me on BART until they PROVE it is safer and cleaner.

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Jeff Spicoli March 23, 2023 - 2:42 PM - 2:42 PM

700 fare gates for $90,000,000? Let me get out my calculator… So, that comes to $128,571.43 per fare gate! I know that this is probably a custom order (unless someone is selling them on Amazon), and like a car they are going to be somewhat complex pieces of machinery for what seems like a fairly rudimentary task, and I’m assuming (hoping) that includes installation, but c’mon!!

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Original G March 23, 2023 - 6:29 PM - 6:29 PM

WHY should they care about cost ? ? ?
.
After all, it’s not like they’re spending their own money

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long time rider March 23, 2023 - 2:46 PM - 2:46 PM

How is that going to win back riders? Just another reason for them to hike fares. If you truly want ridership back increase safety on the trains and in the parking lots and clean your trains. They are absolutely disgusting. Same nasty stains and drug paraphernalia left untouched for weeks. Unfortunately it’s safer, cleaner, quicker and cheaper to drive in nowadays. Good luck Bart. I’m pulling for you but you need a serious overhaul.

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Badge1104 March 23, 2023 - 5:06 PM - 5:06 PM

Wow this does seem expensive!
Hopefully they can recoup it on fares that are collected, but I think more importantly is it’s going to keep out a lot of these troubling individuals and criminals who were jumping the fare gates and causing all the trouble. They are the ones that have scared off the good BART riders who pay,

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Dr. Jellyfinger March 23, 2023 - 2:51 PM - 2:51 PM

Sure…. spend all you want… plenty more where that came from…. bah.. bahhhh.

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Martinezmike March 23, 2023 - 3:16 PM - 3:16 PM

Follow the money? Transparency ? Idk. 47 million dollar contract awarded to STraffic America, an LLC. New magical gates ( that have yet to be tested.) will solve all problems

H March 23, 2023 - 3:28 PM - 3:28 PM

How many gates are there? Sounds like a million per gate, excessive to say the least…

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Exit 12A March 24, 2023 - 8:19 PM - 8:19 PM

.
About 700.
.

NoMoreFreeRide March 23, 2023 - 3:41 PM - 3:41 PM

Since BART historically had an estimated $15-$25M in fares evaded each year this should pay for itself quickly. That is if it’s enforced.

Badge1104 March 23, 2023 - 5:04 PM - 5:04 PM

Wow this does seem expensive!
Hopefully they can recoup it on fares that are collected, but I think more importantly is it’s going to keep out a lot of these troubling individuals and criminals who were jumping the fare gates and causing all the trouble. They are the ones that have scared off the good BART riders who pay,

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Gate Keeper March 23, 2023 - 5:39 PM - 5:39 PM

Why not beta test at one station.

Sandy G March 23, 2023 - 8:32 PM - 8:32 PM

That makes far too much sense! What are you thinking? 🤦🏻‍♀️

WC Resident March 23, 2023 - 10:53 PM - 10:53 PM

Over the past few years BART has been beta testing various styles of gates. BART though fails to show what the new gates look like and if they were part of the beta test program. One of gates tested had shark fins! They looked like the existing gates but if you tried to hop the gate a shark would attempt to grab your leg and bring you to a crashing face plant. Fleshy penguins complained and so BART discontinued that test in 2019. More seriously, it was not the penguins but rather that the fare evaders became adept at kicking the shark teeth out resulting in expensive and constant dental work.

Lee March 24, 2023 - 7:39 AM - 7:39 AM

From article above:
…BART staff will develop an installation timeline with STraffic and will stress-test the new fare gate design at a yet-to-be-determined station later this year.

The Fearless Spectator March 23, 2023 - 5:55 PM - 5:55 PM

That sure seems mighty expensive.
My idea is when a fare jumper launches over the gate, a cattle prod gives them a jolt to the testicles that makes them think they met God. Security assists them in hobbling over to the vending machines to purchase a very soothing legitimate ticket. Call it: Behavior Modification.

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ConcordMike March 23, 2023 - 6:08 PM - 6:08 PM

Coming soon…
BART employees to go on strike for higher pay.

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GregB March 23, 2023 - 6:17 PM - 6:17 PM

This won’t stop the brothas from jumping over. They jump high like out in the wild.

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D March 23, 2023 - 6:23 PM - 6:23 PM

I am withGate Keeper, beta test at the worst station for offenders before spending all that money.

Patty March 23, 2023 - 6:52 PM - 6:52 PM

I’m sorry this won’t work the fare evaders will just crawl underneath !!!!!!!

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Exit 12A March 23, 2023 - 8:14 PM - 8:14 PM

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BART’s current conditions are DISGUSTING.
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Wanna entice riders back and promote “safety”? Then rid the trains amd stations of the smelly homeless, drugged out bums, and lawless vagrants.
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ENFORCE CIVIL STANDARDS.
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We the law abiding public are tired of CA stooping to the lowest or non-existent standards for fear of “offending” someone.
.

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Original G March 24, 2023 - 12:12 AM - 12:12 AM

On a whim did quick search and found these,
https://tinyurl.com/prhahtz5 June 2021
on page 11 enlarge New Fare Gate Controller
For electronic control hobbyists might recognize Suptronics . . . Arduino / Raspberry
https://tinyurl.com/2p9a6cm4 march 2022
https://www.bart.gov/about/projects/fare-gate March 2023
.
Would like to get a look at final gate controller.
For money they are spending they should demand Siemens, which is reliable.

Reasonable March 25, 2023 - 8:15 AM - 8:15 AM

Didn’t they install some new gates at sfo so bums couldn’t get inside the terminal to sleep and other stuff?

b2b March 24, 2023 - 8:05 AM - 8:05 AM

Like the bullet train they will start with stations like Orinda and Lafayette then do the downtown San Francisco ones last.

Nick March 24, 2023 - 9:00 AM - 9:00 AM

I predict in the not to distant future homeless people will tell stories of how “in the good ol days” you could walk into any store and grab anything of the self and walk out. or you could just hop over gates at bart and get high on the trains and sometimes even stay over night if you were slick enough.

doremi March 24, 2023 - 10:38 AM - 10:38 AM

Fare jumpers are THEIR problem. My problem is Threats and Crime, possible Murder. I used to enjoy BART. 70s 80s 90s. Even 2000s. If you can’t run or leap, don’t risk it. Last time on the BART I was accompanied by my H. Slightly germaphobic, he won’t get on BART. His weekly trip made him quite feisty when Jury selection arises. Just tell the truth, they implore. Ha! Truth is refreshing.


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