BART closes stairway for Civic Center-UN Plaza entrance for escalator replacement

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has closed the stairway that serves the Civic Center-UN Plaza entrance until Feb. 14 to complete stainless steel cladding installation along the new escalator walls.   

The work is part of BART’s Escalator Renovation Project, which is replacing 45 escalator units (41 BART units, as well as four additional Muni escalators) in the four downtown stations at both platform and street levels. To date, BART has completed installation of 23 units, four are currently under construction and 18 remaining escalator units are set to be completed through January 2029.    

BART is replacing two units at the Civic Center-UN Plaza station. The BART Escalator Renovation Project contractor has been working since August 2025 on the first of the two units and expects to complete the first unit by early March 2026.  According to the agency, the contractor will begin work on the second escalator unit in mid-March.  All work at the Civic Center / UN Plaza entrance is expected to be completed by August 2026.