Building Cleaner Ferries with Bridge Tolls

By Teri Shore, Bluewater Network

Bridge toll increases on the Bay Area’s seven state bridges could ensure cleaner ferries for San Francisco Bay. All ferry riders, environmentalists, and public health advocates need to do is make sure that any new ferries built or operated using toll dollars must meet the low-emissions vessel standard proposed by the Water Transit Authority.

Bay Area voters in seven counties (Napa and Sonoma excluded) will probably vote on a $1 bridge toll increase in 2004. But decisions on whether to fund new ferries, build new BART tunnels, or invest in express buses are already being made. So if we want funding for clean new ferries, now is the time to say something.

Bluewater Network is calling for a requirement that all new ferries built with future bridge toll dollars are comparable to cars and buses in air emissions per passenger. It is important that such a standard be linked to the bridge tolls so it covers all new ferry boats on San Francisco Bay, not just the proposed WTA system.

A Bridge Toll Advisory Committee comprised mainly of public transit agencies is holding meetings in August and September to decide how to spend the projected $125 million per year from a bridge toll increase. Of course, new public transit needs around the Bay Area far exceed this total. So transit agencies and counties will be lobbying for their share of the pie.

By this Fall, the dust will settle in the form of legislation to be authored by Senator Don Perata. Perata’s transportation expert, Ezra Rapport, is leading the bridge toll process. If we want bridge tolls to fund clean ferries, Ezra needs to know sooner rather than later.

In fact, the bridge toll advisory process presents an opportunity to require that all new public transit projects funded by a bridge toll increase meet clean standards, such as "no net increase in air emissions" and "best available technology." So it’s a good time to weigh in for clean public transit.

But before calling or sending off a letter, please review the process and progress already made, as follows:

Bridge Toll Spending Principles

»   New regional transit service

»   Nexus between tollpayers and bridge corridor improvements

»   50/50 split between operating and capital costs

»   Performance measures including best bang for buck, number of users, travel time, environmental and land use impacts

»   New benefits to the regional commuter

»   Specific routes and schedules

»   Critical safety enhancements

»   Added value to existing network

»   Reasonable implementation period

Some of the projects under consideration include:

»   BART Transbay tube Seismic Retrofit

»   Dumbarton Rail

»   Caltrain Baby Bullet train

»   Express Bus Plan

»   New Ferry Services

»   BART capacity enhancements

»   Capitol Corridor rail improvements

»   Transbay Terminal

»   Night Owl Service

»   Improved feeder bus systems

Ferry service proposed includes expanding existing service from San Francisco to Vallejo and Alameda/Oakland. Potential new routes could be Alameda/Oakland to Mission Bay, Alameda/Oakland to Oyster Point and service to Treasure Island. The Water Transit Authority’s proposed ferry plan will surely take priority on determining the routes funded by bridge tolls.

In fact, the WTA is going to depend on those toll increases to fund its proposed new system. That’s why Bluewater Network and its allies will support new bridge toll increases as long as the ferries and other public transit projects don’t degrade our air quality.

To show your support for a clean ferry standard for bridge toll funds, write Bluewater Network, 311 California St., Suite 510, San Francisco, CA 94104 and Tom Bertken, CEO, Water Transit Authority, 120 Broadway St, Suite 120, San Francisco, CA 94111. We will make sure that Ezra Rapport receives your input.

Contact Teri Shore at