Proposal would raise Bay Area bridge tolls starting in 2026 to fund bridge work
The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) on Wednesday unveiled a proposed series of bridge toll increases starting in 2026 that would fund construction work and asked the public to weigh in.
According to a fact sheet from the agency, the proposal would raise tolls annually through 2030 on the seven state-owned toll bridges: the Antioch, Bay, Benicia, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo. The Golden Gate Bridge, which is operated separately, recently raised tolls in July.
For drivers in regular two-axle cars and trucks, the proposal would raise tolls on the seven state-owned bridges to $8.50 in 2026. Tolls paid with FasTrak would rise 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 accounts or invoiced tolling would also pay a premium starting in 2027. The premium for license plate accounts would be 25 cents, while the premium for invoiced tolling would be $1.00.
Tolls for large freight trucks and other vehicle/trailer combinations with three or more axles would rise by 50 cents per axle per year between 2026 and 2030, officials said.
BATA and Metropolitan Transportation Commission chair Alfredo Pedroza said in a statement, "Working families really feel the impact, not just in transportation but back at home with utilities, groceries, children. This one is hard. But it's the right thing to do."
Officials said the increased tolls would fund the Toll Bridge Capital Improvement Plan, which includes almost $2 billion in projects to preserve the bridges, including painting, repairs and operational improvements.
The proposal is separate from a $1 increase in tolls going into effect in 2025, which is the last in a series of toll hikes brought on by Regional Measure 3, an initiative approved by voters in 2018 that used bridge tolls to fund multiple road and transit improvements.
Officials invited the public to weigh in over email during a comment period from Nov. 4 through Dec. 3. A public webinar is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. and a public hearing on the matter will take place at the Bay Area Metro Center in San Francisco on Nov. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Additional details about the upcoming meetings can be found on the Bay Area Toll Authority website.