Major Gridlock Expected Monday If BART Goes on Strike

Transit officials are warning about a possible BART strike on Monday that could tie up traffic throughout the Bay Area, including on Highway 101 and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit District is currently in negotiations over contracts that expire on Sunday, June 30. If talks fail and BART employees go on strike, major traffic is anticipated as commuters take to their cars to get to work.

The city of Mill Valley sent out a bulletin Friday, urging residents to have a back up plan in case BART employees strike.

“We anticipate that more East Bay residents may decide to use Highway 101 to avoid traffic congestion on the Bay Bridge. This may impact commuters coming into and out of town and could impact surface streets near Highway 101.”

Another concern is that drivers who don’t typically take the Golden Gate Bridge and don’t have FastTrak will cause additional gridlock as they stop on the bridge and try to pay with cash. The Golden Gate Bridge District said it would put out signs on roadways reminding drivers that FastTrak is required. Anyone who doesn’t have it will have their license plate photographed and receive a bill in the mail.

Transit officials are encouraging residents to telecommute or carpool in order to avoid getting stuck in very heavy gridlock. To find more information about local carpools, check out the 511 RideMatch Service. Or try 511’s casual carpooling where commuters can wait at pre-designated sites and catch a ride with others.

BART workers earn an average salary of $82,000 and are among the few public employees in the Bay Area who contribute nothing toward their retirement. That’s increasingly a problem as BART contemplates how to fund $16 billion in infrastructure improvements over the next several decades.

Another sticking point is the amount of time employees must work before they are eligible for medical benefits once they retire. Currently, employees become eligible after only five years on the job, although the union has recently offered to change it to 15 years, a move that will save the agency millions of dollars, according to the San Jose Mercury News.