San Francisco Bay Area's transit system BART faces a fiscal crisis that could force station closures, service cuts, and fare increases as early as 2027 if voters reject a regional sales tax measure. Without funding, the system risks a death spiral of declining ridership and revenue, threatening the region's economy and environment. The engineering marvel, which has served the Bay Area for over 50 years, is crucial to preventing traffic gridlock across the 7.5-million-person metropolis.