More than a dozen glass panels that are part of a new canopy at the entrance to the Market Street BART station were vandalized last weekend, just months after they were first installed.
Thanks to the tempered glass, no glass fell into the elevator or the sidewalk, but complaints were felt everywhere.
Passengers told ABC7 earlier this week that seeing the broken glass made them feel “unfortunate” and “shameful.”
“I’m really disappointed. I have friends in town and I brought them and I have to look the other way,” one rider told ABC7.
As expected, BART officials are also deeply dissatisfied.
“Cost estimates are still being compiled by BART staff,” BART spokesman Chris Filippi told CBS. “However, we expect the total replacement cost to be in the tens of thousands of dollars. This is another reason this type of vandalism is so frustrating for BART and our riders.”
The investigation is ongoing, and BART police say this type of crime is fairly rare. Crime on BART is reportedly down double digits since the beginning of the year, according to the latest report, which BART Police Chief Kevin Franklin attributed to increased police visibility and the introduction of turnstiles.
Construction of 19 glass canopies began in 2020 with an initial budget of $64 million as a way to protect several newly renovated elevators at San Francisco’s BART station from the elements. As of this writing, 8 of the 19 planned canopies have been completed. Numbers including those recently destroyed.
The project is expected to be completed in 2027, according to a statement from the transit agency.
Image: From BART official website.
