Christian Anderson is a junior economics major.
In the coming years, our generation will play a growing role in the day-to-day responsibilities and decision-making for San Francisco and the Bay Area. Our success will depend on the infrastructure that connects us. The economic success and sustainability of San Francisco and the Bay Area depend on safe and reliable transport. Nothing delivers regional connection like BART. After having served the Bay Area for more than 44 years, the time has come for BART to receive a grand tune-up. Measure RR has the potential to make this happen.
San Francisco now has the opportunity to support the essential upgrades of BART with Measure RR. This $3.5 billion bond will replace 90 miles of existing track, reinforce existing tunnels, upgrade the 1960s-era train control system which will allow trains to run faster and closer together, and will include funding to renovate existing stations. To keep BART safe, reliable, and accessible, Measure RR is taking measures to ensure station access for seniors and people with disabilities, enhance rider safety with better security, and improve bus connections and bicycle parking. Part of this measure’s funding will be used to improve stations and and repair worn-out infrastructure such as elevators, escalators, bathrooms, and lighting to ensure the safety and security of its users. As the backbone of the Bay Area, it works hard towards serving its surrounding communities.
BART is the heart of the region’s transit network, serving more than 430,000 riders per day. The number of riders is expected to increase 75 percent by 2040. Maintaining a BART system that can meet the needs of our growing region is not only good for riders, but also those who travel between San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa by car or bus. BART significantly reduces congestion for cars and buses on the road, and it is the most sustainable major rail transit system in the country with the lowest emissions per passenger mile. Future investments will allow BART to be 100 percent reliant on renewable energy, making it an even cleaner way to travel throughout the Bay Area.
At the University of San Francisco, there is a belief in changing the world from here. Let’s do our part to create a transit-oriented community. Without the efficiency of BART, many students who already have long commutes to school will be forced to spend an even larger part of their busy schedules in transit. As advocates of public transportation and clean energy, let’s continue to make the Bay Area cleaner, more efficient and more sustainable. Our university provides us with the opportunities and education to maximize what we can provide for our communities. The ability to change the world starts here.
Everyday BART continues to move people throughout the Bay Area. At this time, BART is experiencing a record number of riders that rely on the transit system as a means of transportation. After over 44 years of use, its critical infrastructure is deteriorating. It goes without saying that BART’s presence in the Bay Area is necessary for the livelihood of the region’s residents. Measure RR will allow BART to be safe, reliable, and efficient. It will provide the transit system what it needs to continue to allow the region to thrive. The success of the region depends on the infrastructure that connects it together. Allow the Bay Area to continue to prosper; pass Measure RR.
