"Bout time!
By Emily Johnson
Published on February 08, 2026
BART says it is replacing many of the system's aging escalators, some roughly 50 years old, with brand-new units that come with warranty coverage and are designed to be more reliable. The agency is pitching the work as part of a broader modernization effort paid for by voter-approved Measure RR. Riders at downtown Market Street stations can expect phased closures and plenty of construction fencing while crews swap out the old machines for the new escalators.
In a post on X today, BART said the system's roughly 50-year-old escalators are being fully replaced and that the new machines will come with warranty coverage. The agency described the work as a “transitional period of modernization” funded by Measure RR and said the swap is meant to reduce the frequent entry failures that have hit downtown stations hard.
Market Street’s Cranky Escalators Finally Get The Boot
Greg