The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) on Wednesday unveiled a proposed series of bridge toll increases that would fund construction work starting in 2026 and asked the public to weigh in.
According to an agency fact sheet, the proposal would increase tolls annually through 2030 on the seven state-owned toll bridges: Antioch, Bay, Benicia, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo. The Golden Gate Bridge, which is operated separately, recently increased tolls in July.
For drivers of regular two-axle cars and trucks, the proposal would increase tolls on the seven state bridges to $8.50 by 2026. Tolls paid with FasTrak would increase to $9 in 2027, $9.50 in 2028, $10 in 2029 and $10.50 in 2030. .
To encourage more drivers to use FasTrak, customers who use license plate bills or billed tolls would also pay a premium beginning in 2027. The premium for license plate bills would be 25 cents, while the premium for billed tolls would be $1.00.
Tolls for large trucks and other vehicle-trailer combinations with three or more axles would increase 50 cents per axle per year from 2026 to 2030, officials said.
Alfredo Pedroza, chairman of the BATA and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, said in a statement: “Working families are really feeling the impact, not only in transportation, but also at home with utilities, groceries and children. This is difficult. But it is the right thing to do.”
Officials said the increased tolls would fund the Toll Bridge Capital Improvement Plan, which includes nearly $2 billion in projects to preserve the bridges, including painting, repairs and operational improvements.
The proposal is separate from a $1 toll increase that will take effect in 2025, which is the latest in a series of toll increases resulting from Regional Measure 3, an initiative approved by voters in 2018 that used bridge tolls to to finance several roads and public transport. improvements.
Officials invited the public to weigh in via email during a comment period from Nov. 4 to Dec. 3. A public webinar is scheduled for November 13 at 6:00 PM and a public hearing on the issue will take place at the Bay Area Metro Center in San Francisco on November 20 at 9:30 AM
Additional details about the upcoming meetings can be found on the Bay Area Toll Authority website.
