On the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Transbay Tube, BART leadership on Monday announced the completion of the 3.6-mile tunnel’s earthquake retrofit.
“The Transbay Tube now has a stronger steel lining,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “It has a more powerful and robust pumping system that will protect itself against the type of earthquake that is projected to occur only once in 1,000 years.”
Monday’s announcement ends BART’s 20-year earthquake safety program, which cost $1.5 billion and included the retrofitting of over 74 miles of track, 34 stations, and additional critical infrastructure, said Powers.
Back in 1974, the tunnel was inserted by section into trenches dug out of the Bay floor, 135 feet below the water’s surface. Then it was washed out by hand before tracks were laid in. One of the employees who did that job was Ken Myers, who retired in 2021. On Monday, he recalled the original construction.
“The tunnel sections were covered, and they were flexible enough to withstand an 8-point earthquake at that time,” said Myers.