BART Marks Its 30th Year.News Editors/Transportation Writers OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 12, 2002 Today, Thursday September 12, BART officially marked its 30 years of service to the people of the Bay Area. In a modest cake-cutting ceremony held during this morning's regular Board of Directors meeting, BART directors, several former directors, staff and the first (and only) baby born on a BART train, six-year old Stephany Ann Marie Ehler, cut a birthday cake. Senior member of the Board, James Fang of San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , said crossing the 30 year line of BART's service signals the beginning of a new era as the system faces the many challenges of the years ahead. "We must continue to move along with the planned expansions, open the new airport line, which is now targeted for January, complete a major seismic retrofit ret·ro·fit v. ret·ro·fit·ted or ret·ro·fit, ret·ro·fit·ting, ret·ro·fits v.tr. 1. To provide (a jet, automobile, computer, or factory, for example) with parts, devices, or equipment not in of the system's infrastructure, and prepare for expansion of passenger capacity," Fang said. The first leg of the BART line to open, which actually took place on September 11, 1972 was a 26-mile segment between the Fremont Station and the MacArthur Station in North Oakland. BART Board President Joel Keller noted in his remarks that a cartoon, which appeared in one of the Bay Area's major newspapers, had a train peeking-out bashfully bash·ful adj. 1. Shy, self-conscious, and awkward in the presence of others. See Synonyms at shy1. 2. Characterized by, showing, or resulting from shyness, self-consciousness, or awkwardness. from behind a curtain. The caption read "Holy Smoke, the Whole World is Watching." "And indeed it was," Keller said. "BART was a space-age system, the first to adapt much of its highly-touted technology from the aerospace industry for ground transportation purposes." "BART was also the first system in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. to be fully accessible for disabled persons." Originally the system was 72 miles with 33 stations, serving three counties, Alameda, Contra Costa Contra Costa can refer to:
Heralded as the first, all new rail rapid transit rapid transit, transportation system designed to allow passenger travel within or throughout an urban area, usually employing surface, elevated, or underground railway systems or some combination of these. system to be built in the United States in six decades, that first day of service attracted journalists from across the country and around the world who wanted to see first hand this new, fully automated transit system. BART General Manager Thomas Margro said that the system has provided numerous benefits in addition to providing regional mobility. Over the years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time system has also been a significant catalyst for billions of dollars in development along its corridors, saves the region about 56 tons of carbon monoxide carbon monoxide, chemical compound, CO, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, extremely poisonous gas that is less dense than air under ordinary conditions. It is very slightly soluble in water and burns in air with a characteristic blue flame, producing carbon dioxide; , which might otherwise be added to the daily pollution load, and is one of the Bay Area's major employers. |
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