Over the past decade, the Bay Area toll bridges have been strengthened to meet modern seismic safety standards and bridge tolls were raised to help pay those costs.
Published: December, 2009
Over the past decade, the Bay Area toll bridges have been strengthened to meet modern seismic safety standards and bridge tolls were raised to help pay those costs. But more revenue is needed to get the job done, and especially to bring the remaining two spans — the Antioch Bridge and the Dumbarton Bridge — up to current seismic safety standards.
The Bay Area Toll Authority is seeking public input to develop a balanced toll increase plan. Here are some of the toll ideas on the table:
• Raising the current four-dollar toll for cars to five dollars;
• Charging carpools a discounted toll instead of allowing them to cross for free;
• Increasing truck tolls;
• Charging commuters extra for crossing the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge during peak traffic hours.
Go to mtc.ca.gov for more information, to complete a survey and to find out about public meetings. Written comments will be accepted until December 21st. The Bay Area Toll Authority is expected to make a decision on the increase in early 2010, with any toll hike taking effect July 1, 2010.
