Lake Merritt — Local services in Oakland

Bay Area Rapid Transit widely known by the acronym “BART” is the main rail transportation system for the San Francisco Bay Area.

1900s, the idea of an underwater electric rail tube was first proposed by Francis "Borax" Smith.

Since 1911, visionaries had periodically brought up this Jules Verne concept.

In 1946, the “BART” story begins as a concept gradually evolving from informal gatherings of business and civic leaders on both sides of the San Francisco Bay. People discussed ways of easing the mounting congestion that was clogging the bridges spanning the Bay.

In 1947, a joint Army-Navy review Board concluded that another connecting link between San Francisco and Oakland would be needed in the years ahead to prevent intolerable congestion on the Bay Bridge.

In the 1950s, the actual planning for a rapid transit system began.

In 1951, California's legislature created the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Commission to study the Bay Area's long-term transportation needs.

In 1957, forming of a transit district charged with the construction and operation of a high-speed rapid rail system linking the cities and suburbs, thus BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit District) was formed.

Between 1957 and 1962, engineering plans were developed for a system of electric trains that would run on grade-separated right-of-ways, reaching maximum speeds of 75-80 mph, averaging perhaps 45 mph, including station stops. Advanced transit cars, with sophisticated suspensions, braking and propulsion systems, and luxurious interiors.

In November 1962, the BART plans were finally approved by the voters.

In 1962, the total cost of the system was projected at $996 million. It would be the largest single public works project ever undertaken in the U.S. by the local citizenry.

On June 19, 1964, BART construction officially began with President Lyndon Johnson presiding over the ground-breaking ceremonies at the 4.4-mile test track between Concord and Walnut Creek in Contra Costa County.

In February, 1967, the 3.2-mile bore through the hard rock of the Berkeley Hills was completed after 466 work days, to become the fourth longest vehicular tunnel in the U.S.

On January 27, 1971, the final tunnel bore was "holed through" into the west end of the Montgomery Street Station and also marked the completion of tunneling work in the huge, two-level Market Street subway and climaxed six years of tunneling underground.

On September 11, 1972, BART began service and reported more than 100,000 passengers in its first five days.

• In November 1977, Saturday trains started.

• In July 1978, Sunday service started.

In the 1980s an extension to the San Francisco Airport was being planned.

The 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake severed the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge for a month and destroyed the Cypress Street Viaduct.

Our visit: BART is a “love, hate, relationship.” You love the system when it’s running on time, but hate it when it breaks down or in this case, the looming strike, which would cripple the commute by forcing hundreds of thousands of additional vehicles on the road!

I’ve ridden these trains on numerous occasions over the years, especially when it first came on line. At first, the new trains were more of a novelty and pretty crowded with a lot of sight seers and tourists.

Over the years, the tourist aspect has diminished and the system settled into the commute mode of transporting thousands of Bay Area residents, myself included during those early years.

I no longer rely on the BART system, which for me is a good thing with the latest on going squabble and possible shutting down of the system on 17 Oct 2013 would be terrible for those depending on this form of transportation.

Overall, BART has reduced a lot of the vehicle traffic that we would typically have and has been of great service, “when it...

I use this station to get around a lot and I really like the skylight that they have to give the whole place a natural light. The station is really straight forward and it's one of the few ones that doesn't smell bad. Sadly this station doesn't have a restroom available, but they do have a customer service area to help out with all kinds of needs. The employees I've interacted with here are all really nice and I hardly see homeless people at this station.

It's also right across the street from Laney College, a couple blocks from the Oakland Museum of California and a few blocks from Lake Merritt. It also has a park and Buddhist temple a block away. It's a convenient stop with a lot to offer and it's the one I use the most when I want to...

It's a disgusting BART station, like mist of them are. The attendants (who are paid 6 figures and have a benefits package who wouldn't believe) ignore you entirely. People openly jump the gates and nothing is done. And good luck if you need a cop (and they are the highest paid in the Bay Area). It cost almost $14 round trip to go from Antioch just to 19th Street in Oakland) so that people can get paid to do virtually nothing. The trains run themselves (with the driver reading books and bragging about how many she read while "driving " the train). It the worst public transportation I've ever been one (and I've...