Lake Merritt station

Last updated
Lake Merritt
Bart-logo.svg
Southbound train at Lake Merritt station, June 2019.JPG
A southbound train at Lake Merritt station in June 2019
General information
Location800 Madison Street
Oakland, California
Coordinates 37°47′52″N122°16′00″W / 37.79777°N 122.26659°W / 37.79777; -122.26659
Line(s) BART A-Line
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsAiga bus trans.svg AC Transit: 18, 62, 88, 96
Aiga bus trans.svg ACMC Highland Shuttle
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Parking207 spaces
Bicycle facilitiesRacks, 84 lockers
AccessibleYes
ArchitectYuill-Thornton, Warner & Levikov [1]
Other information
Station code BART: LAKE
History
OpenedSeptember 11, 1972
Passengers
20242,760 (weekday average) [2]
Services
Preceding station Bart compact logo.svg Bay Area Rapid Transit Following station
West Oakland
toward Daly City
Blue Line Fruitvale
toward Dublin/​Pleasanton
Green Line Fruitvale
toward Berryessa/​North San José
12th Street Oakland City Center
toward Richmond
Orange Line
Location
Lake Merritt station

Lake Merritt station is an underground Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located east of Downtown Oakland near the eponymous Lake Merritt. The station is served by the Orange, Green, and Blue lines. It is the nearest BART station to Chinatown, Laney College, and Jack London Square station.

Contents

Station layout

The station has a single island platform located two levels below ground, with a fare mezzanine above it. The station has four entrances from Oak Street between 8th Street and 9th Street. [3]

A largely-unused oval courtyard adjacent to the fare lobby includes reliefs of sea creatures and birds designed by William Mitchell. Now-closed portholes in the reliefs allowed the public to peer into the BART Operations Control Center. [4] : 5  A fountain was originally located in the courtyard. [5] Walls in the station feature tile work in red, black, and off-white by Alfonso Pardiñas. [4] : 4 

History

The BART Operations Control Center, located adjacent to the station BART Operations Control Center.jpg
The BART Operations Control Center, located adjacent to the station

The construction of Lake Merritt station and the adjacent BART Administration Building leveled three blocks of Chinatown – one of several major displacements in the area, along with I-880, Laney College, and the Oakland Museum of California, that took place in the mid-20th century. [6] By August 1965, the city of Oakland preferred the name "Peralta Center" for the station. [7] However, a BART committee recommended "Lake Merritt" that October, which was approved in December. [8] [9]

The station opened on September 11, 1972 – part of the first section of BART to open. [10] Due to a national strike that year by elevator constructors, elevator construction on the early stations was delayed. Lake Merritt was the only station on the initial segment with elevators available upon opening. [11]

The BART Administration Building was located in a dedicated six-story office building constructed concurrently on top of the station. In 2003, due to potential risk of earthquake damage, the headquarters was moved away from the station to leased space in the Kaiser Center. [12] The former Administration Building was dismantled in 2009–2010. [13] Seismic retrofitting of the station took place in May–September 2009. [14] [15] Bathrooms at underground BART stations were closed after the September 11 attacks due to security concerns. The bathroom at Lake Meritt station reopened on June 28, 2022, after a renovation, with an attendant on duty during all operating hours. [16]

In September 2018, the BART Board selected a developer for transit-oriented development on BART-owned land around the station. [17] On September 8, 2022, the board approved plans for a 457-unit residential development to replace the station parking lot. [18] The parking lot closed on September 16, 2024, to allow construction to begin. [19] The first building will have 97 residential units; the second will have 360. Two additional buildings with 100 residential units and 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) of office space are planned in a future phase. [20] They would use the parcel currently occupied by BART Police headquarters, which is planned to be relocated near the main BART offices in 2026. [21] An additional phase would develop an isolated BART lot off 7th Street. As of 2024, BART indicates "significant market, local support, and/or implementation barriers" that must be overcome to allow that development; it would not begin until at least the mid-2030s. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Oakland station</span> Rapid transit station in San Francisco Bay Area

West Oakland station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in the West Oakland neighborhood of Oakland, California. It has two elevated side platforms and is located near the eastern end of the Transbay Tube. All main BART lines except the Orange Line stop at the station. The Oakland Wye is located to the east of the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">19th Street Oakland station</span> Metro station in Oakland, California, US

19th Street Oakland station is an underground Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located under Broadway between 17th Street and 20th Street in the Uptown District of Oakland, California. It is a timed transfer point between northbound trains to Richmond and to Antioch. The station has three underground levels, with tracks on the second and third levels. It is served by the Red Line, Orange Line, and Yellow Line, as well as by AC Transit buses on the surface at the Uptown Transit Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fruitvale station</span> Rapid transit station in San Francisco Bay Area

Fruitvale station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located in the Fruitvale District of Oakland, California. The elevated station has two side platforms. The station is served by the Orange, Green, and Blue lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockridge station</span> Metro station in Oakland, California, US

Rockridge station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit station located in the Rockridge district of Oakland, California. Located in the center median of the elevated State Route 24 west of the Caldecott Tunnel, the station has a single island platform serving two tracks. It is served by the Yellow Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walnut Creek station</span> Rapid transit station in San Francisco Bay Area

Walnut Creek station is an elevated Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in Walnut Creek, California, served by the Yellow Line. The station is located north of downtown Walnut Creek, adjacent to Interstate 680 and near the Ygnacio Valley Road and California Boulevard arterial roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre station</span> Rapid transit station in California, US

Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station serving the Contra Costa Centre Transit Village in Contra Costa Centre, California, just north of Walnut Creek and just east of Pleasant Hill. It is served by the Yellow Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concord station (BART)</span> Rapid transit station in San Francisco Bay Area

Concord station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in Concord, California. The station is located between the downtown business district to the west and residential neighborhoods to the east. Concord station has a single elevated island platform and is served by the Yellow Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond station (California)</span> Railway station in Richmond, California, US

Richmond station is an Amtrak intercity rail and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located in downtown Richmond, California. Richmond is the north terminus of BART service on the Orange Line and Red Line; it is a stop for Amtrak's Capitol Corridor, San Joaquins, and California Zephyr routes. The accessible station has one island platform for the two BART tracks, with a second island platform serving two of the three tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad Martinez Subdivision for Amtrak trains. It is one of two transfer points between BART and Amtrak, along with Oakland Coliseum station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Leandro station</span> Rapid transit station in San Francisco Bay Area

San Leandro station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located off Davis Street in downtown San Leandro, California. The station has two elevated side platforms, with the faregates at ground level. The station is served by the Orange, Green, and Blue lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay Fair station</span> Metro station in San Leandro, California, US

Bay Fair station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located adjacent to the Bayfair Center mall in San Leandro, California. The station is served by the Orange, Green, and Blue lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fremont station (BART)</span> Metro station in Fremont, California, US

Fremont station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in the central district of Fremont, California. The station is served by the Orange and Green lines. It was the southern terminus of both lines from September 11, 1972, until March 25, 2017, when Warm Springs/South Fremont station opened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashby station (BART)</span> Metro station in Berkeley, California, US

Ashby station is an underground Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in Berkeley, California. The station is located beneath Adeline Street to the south of its intersection with Ashby Avenue. The station includes park-and-ride facilities with 715 automobile parking spaces in two separate parking lots. It is served by the Orange and Red lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MacArthur station (BART)</span> Rapid transit station in San Francisco Bay Area

MacArthur station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in the Temescal District of Oakland, California. It is the largest station in the BART system, being the only one with four platform tracks. Service through MacArthur is timed for cross-platform transfers between the southbound lines that pass through the station. MacArthur station is located in the median of SR 24 just north of its interchange with I-580. The station is perpendicular to 40th Street and MacArthur Boulevard. The surrounding neighborhood is mostly low-density residential, making MacArthur station primarily a commuting hub.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union City station</span> Metro station in Union City, California, US

Union City station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in Union City, California. The station sits near Decoto Road east of Alvarado-Niles Road, directly behind the James Logan High School campus. The station is served by the Orange and Green lines. Local bus service is provided by Union City Transit and AC Transit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Berkeley station</span> Metro station in Berkeley, California, US

North Berkeley station is an underground Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located in the North Berkeley neighborhood of Berkeley, California. It is bounded by Virginia Street, Sacramento Street, Delaware Street, and Acton Street in a residential area north of University Avenue. The main station entrance sits within a circular building at the center of a parking lot, while an elevator between the surface and the platform is located at the parking lot's Sacramento Street edge. The station is served by the Orange and Red lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayward station (BART)</span> Metro station in Hayward, California, US

Hayward station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in Hayward, California, serving Downtown Hayward and the surrounding areas. It is served by the Orange and Green lines. The elevated station has two side platforms. A two-lane bus terminal is located on the northeast side of the station. A pedestrian tunnel under the Union Pacific Railroad Oakland Subdivision connects the fare lobby to a parking lot and a five-level parking garage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Hayward station</span> Metro station in Hayward, California, US

South Hayward station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located off the Tennyson Road arterial in Hayward, California. It is served by the Orange and Green lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Cerrito del Norte station</span> Rapid transit station in San Francisco Bay Area

El Cerrito del Norte station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located on Cutting Boulevard in El Cerrito, California. The station is served by the Orange and Red lines. Located near San Pablo Avenue and Interstate 80, it serves as a regional transit hub for local AC Transit bus services, and for commuter feeder services from Solano, Napa, and Marin Counties in the North Bay plus western Contra Costa County. Opened in 1973, the station was renovated in 2017–2021 to add additional elevators, stairs, and lobby space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Cerrito Plaza station</span> Rapid transit station in El Cerrito, California, US

El Cerrito Plaza station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in El Cerrito, California, located adjacent to the El Cerrito Plaza shopping center. It primarily serves southern El Cerrito, northern Albany, and Kensington, along with nearby portions of Berkeley and Richmond. Nearly identical in form to El Cerrito del Norte station, El Cerrito Plaza station has two side platforms serving the line's two elevated tracks, with a fare lobby underneath. The Ohlone Greenway runs through the station area. The station is served by the Orange and Red lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Coliseum station</span> Rail station in Oakland, California, US

The station complex of Amtrak's Oakland Coliseum station and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)'s Coliseum station is located in the East Oakland area of Oakland, California, United States. The two stations, located about 600 feet (180 m) apart, are connected to each other and to the Oakland Coliseum/Oakland Arena sports complex with an accessible pedestrian bridge. The BART station is served by the Orange, Green, and Blue lines; the Amtrak station is served by the Capitol Corridor service.

References

  1. ↑ Cerny, Susan Dinkelspiel (2007). An Architectural Guidebook to San Francisco and the Bay Area (1st ed.). Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith. pp. 501–502. ISBN   978-1-58685-432-4. OCLC   85623396.
  2. ↑ "Monthly Ridership Reports". San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. June 2024.
  3. ↑ "Station Map: Lake Merritt". Metropolitan Transportation Commission. July 25, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Weinstein, Dave. "How BART got ART". CA-Modern. Eichler Network.
  5. ↑ "Look what has happened to the 'subway' station". BART: A bright new day for the Bay Area. San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. November 1972. pp. 10, 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Lake Merritt Station Area Plan" (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. December 2014. pp. 2–4.
  7. ↑ "Differences On Transit Stop Names". Oakland Tribune. August 24, 1965. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "A Name For BART Station?". Oakland Tribune. October 20, 1965. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Names Approved for 38 Rapid Transit Stations Around Bay". Oakland Tribune. December 10, 1965. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "BART Chronology January 1947 – March 2009" (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Strike Delays Elevator Service at Some Stations". Oakland Tribune. September 10, 1972. p. 36 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Board approves purchase of new headquarters saving public funds in future" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. September 12, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Earthquake safety work planned for Lake Merritt Station" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. May 13, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Earthquake Safety Program Construction Updates (archive)". San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. 2009.
  15. ↑ "Earthquake safety work planned for Lake Merritt Station" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. May 13, 2009.
  16. ↑ "Restrooms now open at Montgomery and Lake Merritt" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. June 28, 2022.
  17. ↑ "BART Board green lights Lake Merritt TOD" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. September 12, 2018.
  18. ↑ "BART Board approves hundreds of homes for Lake Merritt Station" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. September 8, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Lake Merritt parking lot to permanently close 9/16/24 as TOD construction begins" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. August 14, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Lake Merritt TOD construction begins in 2024; parking changes start June 1" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 21, 2024.
  21. ↑ "BART Police Department Headquarters (BPD HQ)". San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  22. ↑ BART Transit-Oriented Development Program Work Plan: 2024 Update (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 2024. p. 17.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Lake Merritt station at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.