Alameda County voters will soon go to the polls to decide the fate of a proposed BART extension to Livermore. The project has been controversial not just among transit activists, but also Livermore residents. In 2012, a transportation sales tax measure that would have funded the project was narrowly defeated, largely because of lackluster support in Livermore. A majority of Livermore voters were opposed.
And now the debate over the project has gotten a lot uglier, with ex-Director Robert Allen making inflammatory comments about the kinds of people he thinks will use BART:
So there you have it. Billions of dollars should be spent extending BART out to Livermore, just to have it surrounded by a moat of parking. To protect Livermore from thugs that ride transit.
Systemic Failure 
Does Robert Allen normally spell his name with three Ls?
Mr. Allen’s commenting account has his last name with 3 L’s (as in “Alllen”). Click on it and the user profile shows: Robert S. Alllen
BART Director (District 5) 1974-1988; Retired SP Western Division, Engineering/Operations
Livermore
Wow. I sincerely hope no one listens to this guy anymore and that’s why he’s resorted to making ridiculous comments on blogs.
At this point, the “criminal element” seems to wear blue uniforms and cruise around in police cars with guns and tasers. I suppose closing off street access might deter them, but really the solution is to break up the gangs.
This is the same argument used against expanding BART to Marin County in the 1960s. Just different terminology.