MILLBRAE (Azat TV) – The Millbrae City Council has unanimously passed a resolution urging the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) agency to maintain the operations of the Millbrae station. This decision comes as BART grapples with a staggering $376 million annual budget deficit, leading the agency to revise its initial plans for potential station closures, service reductions, and staff layoffs.
BART’s updated strategy, which will be formally presented to its Board of Directors, delays any station closures until at least July 2027 and refrains from naming specific locations at this time. This revision follows an earlier proposal that identified up to 15 stations, including Millbrae, for potential closure as early as January 2027.
BART’s Revised Strategy for Budget Shortfall
Facing a significant financial shortfall, BART had previously outlined a plan that included the closure of up to 15 stations, with specific Peninsula stations like South San Francisco and San Bruno mentioned for early 2027 closures, and Millbrae and Colma targeted for July 2027. However, BART Government Relations Representative Mark Nagales informed the Millbrae City Council that the agency has since revised its approach.
The transit agency is now proceeding with plans to increase fares, run fewer trains, and lay off over 1,000 employees if a regional November ballot measure, intended to fill its funding gaps, does not pass, or if other funding sources are not secured. Crucially, the agency has decided to postpone any station closures until July 2027 and is currently not specifying which stations might be affected, as reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Millbrae Station’s Intermodal Importance to the Region
Millbrae councilmembers emphasized the unique and critical role of the Millbrae BART station. Councilmember Anders Fung highlighted its indispensable function as the sole direct connector between Caltrain and BART, serving thousands of commuters between Santa Clara County and San Mateo County. It also provides a vital link for Peninsula residents to the nearby San Francisco International Airport.
Mayor Reuben Holober underscored the city’s substantial investment in transit-oriented mixed-use developments surrounding the station. He noted, “Millbrae really is a critical location on the BART system. Maybe it doesn’t have the highest ridership, but it is the only link right now with Caltrain. It is the site of a transit-oriented development.” This development, he added, was a collaborative effort between the city and BART, resulting in a high-quality project on BART property.
Local Concerns Over Equitable BART Service Cuts
The potential for station closures has raised concerns among local officials regarding equitable service distribution. Councilmember Stephen Rainaldi questioned whether BART intends to honor prior commitments to spread closures evenly across its service jurisdictions. This echoes sentiments from the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County, which has argued that BART’s original closure plans disproportionately affected San Mateo County.
Rainaldi expressed apprehension about the entire Peninsula potentially losing BART access while other counties served by the agency might not face the same fate. He advocated for any closures to be “spread out evenly amidst the jurisdictions.” Councilmember Fung further reinforced that Millbrae’s recent success in growth and development is largely predicated on its status as a robust transit hub, making the prospect of shutting down the station unimaginable after significant investments and efforts.
Despite a hopeful outlook from Councilmember Fung regarding a potential emergency $590 million loan for Bay Area transit agencies from the California governor’s office, BART Government Relations Representative Nagales clarified that BART is only expected to receive $90 million of that funding. This modest allocation suggests that the agency’s financial challenges, and the difficult decisions they necessitate, are far from resolved.
The ongoing financial struggles of BART highlight the broader challenge faced by public transit systems in balancing essential service provision with fiscal solvency. The Millbrae station’s unique intermodal connectivity and its role in fostering transit-oriented development underscore the complex interplay between regional infrastructure, local economies, and community reliance on public services, making any cuts a decision with far-reaching consequences beyond ridership numbers.