Toll Authority to Host Public Hearing On Proposed 2026 Toll Hike, Carpool Policy Changes
The Californer/10297838

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 19, 2024 ~ The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) will be holding a public hearing tomorrow, November 20th, at 9:35 a.m. in San Francisco to gather feedback from Bay Area residents, businesses, and other interested parties regarding the proposed toll increase for the region's seven state-owned toll bridges. The hearing will also address proposed updates to the policies for high-occupancy vehicles on approaches to these bridges. The public can participate in person or via Zoom during BATA's regular monthly meeting.

If approved by BATA in December, the toll increase will be implemented over a period of five years starting on January 1st, 2026. The additional revenue generated from the toll increase will be solely used for the maintenance, rehabilitation, and operation of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges.

The public hearing details are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, November 20th, 2024

Time: 9:35 a.m.

Location: Ground floor Boardroom, 375 Beale Street, San Francisco

Attendee Link: https://bayareametro.zoom.us/j/86534600606

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Join by Phone: 1-877-853-5247

According to state law, BATA is responsible for funding projects that preserve and protect the Bay Area's seven state-owned toll bridges. This proposed toll hike is separate from the $3 increase that was approved by Bay Area voters in 2018 through Regional Measure 3 (RM3) to finance various highway and transit improvements around the region. The first two $1 increases went into effect in 2019 and 2022 respectively. The final RM3 toll hike will take effect on January 1st, 2025 bringing the regular two-axle car and truck toll to $8.

The proposed toll increase, for which the public hearing will be held tomorrow, calls for an increase to $8.50 on January 1st, 2026 for all regular two-axle cars and trucks. The tolls for customers using FasTrak tags will then rise to $9 in 2027, $9.50 in 2028, $10 in 2029, and finally to $10.50 in 2030. For customers using a pre-registered license plate account, the tolls will increase to $9.25 in 2027, $9.75 in 2028, $10.25 in 2029, and $10.75 in 2030. Customers who receive an invoice by mail will see their tolls increase to $10 in 2027, $10.50 in 2028, $11 in 2029, and finally to $11.50 in 2030.

In addition to the proposed toll increase, members of the public can also provide testimony about proposed updates to the policies for high-occupancy vehicles on approaches to the Bay Area's state-owned toll bridges during tomorrow's hearing. These updates are also set to take effect on January 1st, 2026.

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Currently, BATA's existing toll schedule allows vehicles with three or more occupants (HOV3+) a discounted toll during weekday commute periods at all seven bridges with a two-person (HOV2) occupancy requirement for half-price tolls at the Dumbarton and San Mateo-Hayward bridges. BATA staff is proposing a uniform three-person occupancy requirement for half-price tolls during weekday commute periods at all seven bridges.

The proposed changes would also allow vehicles with two occupants and a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to the '2' position to use carpool lanes on the approaches to the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges. These vehicles would not receive the 50 percent carpool discount but would be able to use the carpool lanes to save time at toll plazas. However, a minimum of three occupants will still be required for carpool lane use on approaches to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

BATA, which is directed by the same policy board as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), manages toll revenues from the Bay Area's seven state-owned toll bridges. The Golden Gate Bridge toll revenues are managed by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, which has partnered with BATA to operate a single regional FasTrak customer service center in San Francisco. MTC is responsible for transportation planning, financing and coordination in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

Source: Metropolitan Transportation Commission

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