By Amanda Anabeza, Courier Staff Writer
BART is now working to improve their entrances to stations while also making their escalators more reliable. The glass canopy entrance structure was recently completed and is open to riders at the 19th Street station in Oakland.
Robert Raburn, BART director, was joined to celebrate the grand opening of the new canopy located at the intersection of Broadway and 20th Street. In a statement he says, “The canopy is part of our efforts to modernize our aging stations”.
The canopy contains escalators with weather protection and enhanced security so employees and customers are able to feel more safe at BART. Also, people are now able to see when their train arrives prior to entering the station from screens displaying time information at street level. The canopy was also designed to be environmental friendly by allowing natural light into the station through the transparent glass.
LED lights were placed along the glass structure and the blue tiled walls inside of the canopy. The canopy along with the new glass sidewalk are illuminated during the night.
The $2 million program was funded by Prop 1B and is currently being tested for public approval in order to be built at other stations. BART is attempting to collaborate to bring canopies to San Francisco Market Street stations and the Downtown Berkeley station.
