BART's newfangled saloon-style fare gates have arrived at Balboa Park Station.
The regional transportation agency began work replacing the old swing-style fare gates on the station's concourse level on Aug. 8 as part of a $90 million upgrade project. Forty-eight of 50 stations have already been upgraded.
The Geneva Avenue entrance is under construction as of Aug. 21. | Ingleside Light
"Crews are replacing the gates at all four station arrays at Balboa [Park Station]," BART spokesperson Christopher Filippi said. Each array is expected to take two weeks to complete.
Riders may experience a few extra minutes wait to pass through the fare gates during peak travel hours. As an added support measure, BART has increased the number of staff at the station and added additional signage.
The gates are designed to "harden" stations to minimize fare evasion.
Crime is down across the BART system, which some officials credit to the new gates. A July report released by the transit agency shows violent crimes decreased from 203 incidents in the first seven months of 2024 to 130 incidents during the same period in 2025. Property crimes decreased from 1,091 to 547 in the same period.
Pigeon abatement. | Ingleside Light
BART, which is struggling to build back rider revenue since the pandemic, isn't footing the bill for the new gates alone.
"The San Francisco County Transportation Authority is a key funding partner for replacing gates in San Francisco," Filippi said.
