BART to reopen two busy station restrooms for first time in more than 20 years

BART officials on Tuesday announced plans to reopen restrooms at two of the transit agency’s busiest train stations — 19th Street Oakland and Powell Street in downtown San Francisco.

Restrooms at the two stations are set to reopen in February for the first time in more than 20 years. BART shuttered several station restrooms, citing safety concerns following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Staffed attendants will be present for at least the first three months of the restrooms’ reopening, agency officials said.

BART’s Board of Directors on Thursday will also hear from the agency’s general manager Bob Powers about restroom reopening plans for eight other stations.

A staff report for the meeting outlines funding and work needed to reopen restrooms at the other stations, including $600,000 in capital funds needed to reopen Lake Merritt and Montgomery stations as planned by the summer of 2022.

Other station restrooms that remain closed at Downtown Berkeley, Embarcadero, Civic Center, 12th Street Oakland, 16th Street Mission and 24th Street Mission stations have timelines further out — an estimated $14 million in funding needs to be secured in order to reopen all closed restrooms, according to BART.