I arrived in SF in March, 1966 and I don't recall any huge controversy about BART. What was controversial amongst people interested in trains was the nutty decision to reopen the gauge issue, which had been resolved a century earlier. Berkeley was not at all happy with an elevated - who in their right mind would be? Oakland had become too ghetto to care.

The cut and cover construction ripped up Market and Mission and that sucked. Fortunately Muni held out to keep the streetcars running with shoeflys.

BART and Manhattanization suck - the Bechtels should have been flogged thru the fleet for their white elephant tech treachery all in service of the then still powerful SP. Instead people were "you will never work in this town again" afraid to cross Bechtel.

What PBCAHSR seeks and needs is more population; I want less. Global warming is boosterite, growth mongering bullsh*t.