Enjoy it while it lasts: BART will close the Rotunda entrance on Aug. 14 in preparation for its demolition. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

BART will close the main entrance to the downtown Berkeley BART station on Aug. 14, a week later than was most recently announced.

When the entrance is reopened in early 2018, the circular metal and glass covering that has stood there for 45 years will be gone. In its place will be an arching glass covering.

BART will also close the entrance at the western corner of Addison Street and Shattuck Avenue on Aug. 14.

The closures are part of the $7.6 million BART Plaza Improvement Project.

Rendering of the future BART Plaza. Image: BART

In July, BART opened a refurbished entry on the southwest side of the station featuring a glass entrance arching over the stairway, as well as an entrance across the street on the east side of Shattuck Avenue by Allston Way. Patrons accessing BART from both those southern entrances can only use Clipper cards, though, part of a regional push to get residents using transit on the service. Other entrances allow for travelers to buy tickets or use existing tickets.

While the Rotunda entrance will be shuttered, the rest of the station will operate as normal, including access to the platform, the station agent booth and fare machines in the center of the station.

The escalators will be closed during construction, but patrons can use an elevator on Shattuck Avenue near Center Street to get to the concourse level. They will then have to transfer to the train level in a separate elevator. (See diagram).

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