BART Announces Weekend Track Closures Between Lamorinda, Rockridge

EAST BAY, CA — BART will begin its next set of major trackway repairs during President's Day weekend, replacing worn rail between the Rockridge, Orinda and Lafayette stations.

Trains will not run between Rockridge and Lafayette between Feb. 18 and Feb. 20 as crews work around the clock to replace some 7,200 feet of rail. Riders will instead be transported from the Lafayette station to Rockridge via a free bus bridge.

According to BART, riders should expect delays of 30 minutes in Contra Costa County along the Yellow Line — the busiest in the BART system.

BART is also slated to conduct track work between Rockridge and Orinda across five weekends in April, May and June to replace an interlocking, which allows trains to move across different rail lines. Free buses will transport riders between the two stations on the weekends that are tentatively scheduled to be April 1-2, April 15-16, May 13-14, May 27-29 (Memorial Day weekend) and June 10-11.

Both projects are part of BART's effort to replace and modernize rail infrastructure that has been in use for decades, in some cases since the rail system first opened. Riders will enjoy a smoother, safer, more reliable, and quieter ride once the projects are complete, according to BART.

The projects are funded by Measure RR, BART's 20-year, $3.5 billion bond measure, which Bay Area voters approved in 2016. Measure RR projects include the replacement of 42 miles of rail and 46 miles of power cables.

BART riders are encouraged to visit https://www.bart.gov/schedules... for up-to-date information on system delays and advisories.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.