'Not Acceptable': BART Board President, Ex-Dublin Mayor Slams Proposed Station Closures

DUBLIN, CA — BART Board President and former Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez called a proposal to close the West Dublin/Pleasanton BART station and many others "not just inequitable, but also unfair."

On Thursday, staff are presenting the board with a scenario to close up to 10 stations across the Bay Area, including West Dublin/Pleasanton, Castro Valley, and South Hayward. They could close at least five more stations, including Dublin/Pleasanton, as early as July 2027. The extreme proposal includes a 63% systemwide service reduction and would discontinue the Blue Line in later phases, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.

The proposal comes in response to yearly deficits of about $370 million, according to Bay City News. The agency is hoping that voters will approve a November measure to increase the sales tax in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and San Mateo by a half-cent, and in San Francisco by one cent for 14 years. This is expected to generate an additional $980 million to $1 billion per year, preventing station shutdowns.

In a statement released Tuesday, Hernandez called the shutdown proposal "not acceptable," and asked for better solutions.

"Residents here rely on BART as an affordable option to get to and from work. Many will face economic hardships and the fear their job may be in jeopardy as they find their non-BART options are less affordable and less reliable," she said.

Residents of San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties provide around 91% of local funding for BART in sales and property taxes, yet only receive 85% of BART service hours, according to a BART analysis from 2024.

"Residents here also provide a disproportionate share of sales tax revenue that funds BART’s operations. The proposed station closures are not just inequitable, but also unfair," Hernandez said. "Staff needs to come to the Board with more than a ‘shock and awe” proposal. I expect a more thoughtful analysis and a deeper dive into how we can save money. We can’t fix this problem by hurting the riders."

SEE ALSO:

• Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station Could Lose Blue Line Service
• BART Board President, Ex-Dublin Mayor Announces Run For Congress