Barnali's Priorities: Safety, accessibility and sustainability

Barnali's devoted years of her life to serving her community and advocating for the policies that prioritize public transit, walking, and biking for all. As a BART rider herself, she knows what it's going to take to bring riders back.

She understands that the health and reliability of BART requires broad buy-in from the community, and she’s committed to being a watchdog for riders and taxpayers.

Informed by conversations BART users, neighbors, community organizations and policymakers, here are Barnali's priorities as your next BART Board Director.

Fiscal Sustainability

Barnali loves BART and is committed to its survival. She will:

  • Closely examine all budgets and spending priorities to ensure that BART’s limited resources are wisely invested
  • Regularly meet with regional, state, and federal policymakers to advocate for every available resource to fund BART
  • Ensure that the system meets the needs of riders, workers, youth, and seniors
  • Work to keep fares as low as possible while increasing participation from riders

Safety, Reliability and Accessibility Barnali Riding BART

Barnali has a close family member with an invisible disability that makes them mostly dependent on public transit. Barnali knows how important it is to keep the system surviving, thriving, and welcoming to all riders. Barnali will prioritize safety, reliability and accessibility specifically through:

  • Expanding BART's Crisis Response Unit, Transit Ambassador's program, and building connections with mental health and homeless services providers
  • Using data-driven and evidence-based approaches to ensure that police resources are directed to where they are most needed
  • Advocating for seamless transit options between BART and other transit agencies
  • Centering the needs of communities that don’t have a choice on whether to drive or not, including disabled, aging, youth, and immigrant communities
  • Ensuring that accessibility concerns for seniors and people with disabilities are factored into all decisions made by BART, including improving wayfinding for those with visible and invisible disabilities

Transit Oriented Development 

Barnali is excited to shepherd housing and mixed development projects on BART properties, maximizing housing affordability, creating jobs, and enhancing the vibrancy and cultural legacy of the neighborhoods in which they inhabit. These are critical projects for BART and the broader community.

As part of the Ashby and North Berkeley BART housing development Community Advisory Group, and a member of multiple relevant commissions, Barnali has learned a lot about this process and contributed to making the projects feasible and in line with community values. 

Ultimately, more housing near transit enhances the health of the BART system, improves air quality, reduces vehicle emissions, increases ridership and residents near BART, and enhances safety for all.

Addressing Climate Change and Global Impacts

Public transit is climate action. Barnali is a passionate environmentalist, and she will prioritize climate change solutions in our community. Having an efficient public transit system has dual benefits: advancing equity and clean air locally, and reducing climate impacts globally. Barnali recognizes that BART jobs are green jobs that are a critical part of our just transition toward a clean energy future, and they need to be preserved and well supported.

BART as a Beacon for Community

As a designer, artist, and East Bay history tour guide, Barnali is interested in more activation of BART stations to be a welcoming place for community and culture. Specifically, Barnali will focus on:

  • Improving seating, lighting, shade infrastructure, and incorporation of trees and greenery, with a focus on California native plants to make BART stations pleasant places for riders and neighbors
  • Ensuring that the pedestrian and bike rider experience and design are incorporated into station design
  • Establishing a formal program to better integrate and promote local vendors, businesses, non-profit organizations, and community services at BART stations
  • Expanding the arts program to promote performing arts and community histories to make BART stations fun places that enhance civic life while supporting the arts community


If you have any questions, comments, or ideas to improve BART, email the campaign at [email protected]. 

 

If you or your loved ones rely on BART, so do I. If you want to see BART run efficiently, on time and on budget, so do I. If you’re concerned about safety on BART, so am I. If you care about BART’s connections to work, home, and play, so do I. Please join me in the fight to make BART the best it can be.