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West Oakland station

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West Oakland
A metro train at an elevated train station
A train at West Oakland station in March 2025
General information
Location1451 7th Street
Oakland, California
Coordinates37°48′18″N 122°17′42″W / 37.8049°N 122.2951°W / 37.8049; -122.2951
LineBART M-Line
Platforms2 side platforms
Connections
Construction
Structure type
Elevated
Parking156 spaces
Cycle facilities
Racks, 42 shared lockers, 8 keyed reserved lockers, Bay Wheels station
AccessibleYes
ArchitectKitchen & Hunt[1]
Other information
Station codeBART: WOAK
History
OpenedSeptember 16, 1974 (1974-09-16)
Former namesOakland West (1974–1988)
Passengers
20264,806 (weekday average)[2]
Services
Preceding station Bay Area Rapid Transit Following station
Embarcadero
toward Daly City
 Blue Line Lake Merritt
toward Dublin/​Pleasanton
Green Line Lake Merritt
toward Berryessa
Embarcadero
toward Millbrae
 Red Line 12th Street Oakland City Center
toward Richmond
Embarcadero
toward SFO or Millbrae
 Yellow Line 12th Street Oakland City Center
toward Antioch via Pittsburg/​Bay Point
Location
Map

West Oakland station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in the West Oakland neighborhood of Oakland, California. It has two elevated side platforms and is located near the eastern end of the Transbay Tube. All main BART lines except the Orange Line stop at the station. The Oakland Wye is located to the east of the station.

Station layout

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The station is located in the block bounded by Chester Street, 7th Street, Mandela Parkway, and 5th Street. The elevated BART tracks run roughly east-west through the station. Two side platforms flank the tracks. The street-level fare lobby is located near the center of the platform. Two staircases, one escalator, and one elevator connect each platform to the lobby.[3] Bus stops on 7th Street and Mandela Parkway served AC Transit bus routes 14, 22, 36, and 62, as well as Flixbus and Greyhound intercity bus service.[4]

History

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West Oakland station in 2018

By August 1965, the city of Oakland desired to call the planned station Oakland West.[5] BART approved the name that December.[6] The station opened on September 16, 1974 – the last station of the initial BART system to open – with the beginning of service through the Transbay Tube.[7] The name "Oakland West" was contrary to the actual neighborhood name of "West Oakland". The efforts of neighborhood activists led BART to correct the name to West Oakland in May 1988.[8][9]

In 1990, West Oakland was proposed as a station for the Capitols service to replace the damaged 16th Street station.[10] It was again proposed in 1992 as an intermodal station including Amtrak and buses as part of the replacement of the Cypress Street Viaduct.[11] Seismic retrofitting of the station took place in 2009–2011.[12][13] West Oakland was the first BART station to be retrofitted with new fare gates intended to reduce fare evasion. Installation of the new gates took place from December 11–28, 2023.[14]

Development

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The south parking lot in 2024 prior to development

In December 2013, BART issued a request for qualifications for a developer to construct transit-oriented development (TOD) to replace parking lots surrounding the station.[15][16] The agency began negotiations with a developer in 2014.[16] In February 2019, the city approved plans for a three-building development[16] The BART Board of Directors approved the plans in June 2020.[17] A revised version was approved by the city in November 2020.[16]

The development is to be mixed-use with 762 housing units, 53,478 square feet (4,968.3 m2) of retail, and 300,000 square feet (28,000 m2) of office space. Three parking garages will have 385 parking spaces.[18] After several years of delay, a $47 million state grant awarded in December 2025 allowed the developers to move forward with the project.[19] Construction began on September 14, 2026. About 240 of the station's 440 surface parking spots were closed, as was the busway on the south side of the station.[20]

As of 2024, BART indicates "significant market, local support, and/or implementation barriers" that must be overcome to allow TOD on a separate parcel isolated from the main development. That second phase would not begin until at least the mid-2030s.[21] A nearby development was planned at 500 Kirkham Street; the private developer lost the property in foreclosure in October 2023.[22][19]

References

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  1. ↑ Cerny, Susan Dinkelspiel (2007). An Architectural Guidebook to San Francisco and the Bay Area (1st ed.). Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith. pp. 501–502. ISBN 978-1-58685-432-4. OCLC 85623396.
  2. ↑ "Monthly Ridership Reports". San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Transit Stops: West Oakland Station". Metropolitan Transportation Commission. July 25, 2023.
  4. ↑ "West Oakland TOD Closures & Access" (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. September 2026.
  5. ↑ "Differences On Transit Stop Names". Oakland Tribune. August 24, 1965. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Names Approved for 38 Rapid Transit Stations Around Bay". Oakland Tribune. December 10, 1965. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "BART Chronology January 1947 – March 2009" (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2013.
  8. ↑ Healy, Michael C. (2016). BART: The Dramatic History of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System. Heyday. pp. 222–225. ISBN 978-1-59714-370-7.
  9. ↑ "BART station to get new name". Oakland Tribune. May 13, 1988. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Evangelista, Benny (September 24, 1990). "Commute train service back on track". Oakland Tribune. pp. A-6, A-8 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Evangelista, Benny (October 28, 1992). "Emeryville bullish on its Amtrak station plan". Oakland Tribune. pp. A-3, A-4 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Earthquake Safety Program Construction Updates (archive)". San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. 2009.
  13. ↑ "Earthquake safety work underway at West Oakland Station" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 11, 2009.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ "Request for Developer Qualifications: West Oakland BART Station" (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. December 30, 2013.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) - West Oakland". San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ "BART approves plan for new mixed-use development at West Oakland Station" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. June 11, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Mandela Station @ West Oakland BART: Preliminary Development Plan" (PDF). JRDV Architects. September 16, 2020. p. 26.
  19. 1 2 Kanik, Hannah (December 10, 2025). "The transformation of West Oakland BART area kickstarted after years of delays". San Francisco Business Times.
  20. ↑ "Parking spot reductions and other access changes begin on Sept. 14 at West Oakland Station for affordable housing construction" (Press release). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. September 1, 2026.
  21. ↑ BART Transit-Oriented Development Program Work Plan: 2024 Update (PDF). San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. March 2024. p. 17.
  22. ↑ Li, Roland; Swan, Rachel (October 11, 2023). "1,032 apartments approved next to West Oakland BART in doubt after foreclosure". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 4, 2024.
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