Fremont Warns of BART Station Closure Risk
The City of Fremont is officially opposing a contingency plan that could close the Warm Springs/South Fremont BART station. In a formal letter, the city highlighted the station's economic benefits and low operating costs, warning of the negative impact on local families and students if a sales tax measure fails.
The potential closure of the Warm Springs/South Fremont BART station is tied to a projected $350 million to $400 million structural deficit that the transit agency is facing. To address this, BART is supporting a regional sales tax measure planned for the November 2026 ballot. This measure, authorized by state Senate Bill 63, also known as the Connect Bay Area Act, would institute a 14-year sales tax if approved by voters. The proposal calls for a 0.5% sales tax increase in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, and a 1% increase in San Francisco. If the measure fails, BART's "Alternative Service Plan" would be implemented, which includes potentially closing up to 15 of its 50 stations. The Warm Springs/South Fremont station was identified as one of the 10 lowest-ridership stations that could be closed in the first phase of these cuts, which would not begin before July 2027. Other drastic measures in the contingency plan include ending service at 9 p.m. nightly, increasing train wait times, and raising fares and parking fees by as much as 50%. The plan would also involve laying off approximately 1,200 employees. The City of Fremont's opposition is based on the station's economic contributions, including its proximity to major employers like Tesla's Fremont factory, which employs over 25,000 people. The city also highlights its own $41 million investment in a pedestrian bridge connecting the station to a large manufacturing area. Despite being on the list for potential closure due to having lower ridership, with an average of 1,140 weekday entries in January 2025, Fremont argues the station's modern and energy-efficient design results in low operating costs. Furthermore, the area around the station is the site of a significant transit-oriented development project, with around 4,000 new housing units planned. This development is expected to increase ridership once completed. The Warm Springs/South Fremont station opened on March 25, 2017, as part of a 5.4-mile extension that cost approximately $890 million. It served as the southern terminus for the Orange and Green lines until the Silicon Valley extension to Milpitas and Berryessa/North San José opened in June 2020.
