BART Line to Airport Opening Saturday

After two decades of planning, four years of construction and a price tag of more than $400 million, BART’s new connecting rail service to Oakland International Airport will be open for business Saturday morning. The service will transport riders from the Coliseum station to the Oakland International Airport station and back.

To celebrate the opening, BART officials, city officials and members of the community held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at the Coliseum station. BART also offered free rides on the automated three-car people movers to the public between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

“I’ve been excited about the extension to the airport, because I use the train to get there,” said San Leandro resident Al Badger, who was one of a few dozen people waiting in line for a free ride. “This will make the trip a lot easier.”

BART Director Robert Raburn mirrored that sentiment today when he spoke about the project.

“You are going to be able to board a BART train anywhere in the four county area and arrive within feet of the Oakland Airport gates,” Raburn said. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, also attended the event and said talks about the project began in the 1990s. She said she remembers being involved in the project’s first promotional video in the mid-1990s and said it’s nice to finally see years of hard work become a reality.

“This is really a day that is long overdue, but it’s here today,” Lee said. “This is the result of a lot of hard work by a heck of a lot of people.” The $484 million project broke ground in 2010.

Officials said the four “BART to OAK” people movers will travel at 30 mph, and the 3.2-mile trip will take about eight minutes. A one-way ride will cost $6, an increase from the $3 currently charged for rides on AirBART buses from the Coliseum station to the airport. One-way adult fares between the airport and various stations in the Bay Area are available.

The trains will run every five minutes on weekdays and weekends 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and in intervals of 10 and 20 minutes during other weekday operating hours between 5 a.m. and midnight. Saturday service will start at 6 a.m., and Sunday service will start at 8 a.m. Service on weekends will run until midnight. Officials said AirBART service will be discontinued Saturday.

By Bay City News