Bay Area Toll Increases Inevitable

  KCBS’ Bob Melrose Reports

Staff members of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Bay Area Toll Authority Oversight Committee said the proposed increase is needed to raise an additional $160 million in annual revenues to help finance the estimated $750 million cost of seismic retrofit projects on the Antioch and Dumbarton bridges.

The extra money would also offset higher borrowing costs caused by the upheaval in the bond markets the past two years and address a five-year decline in toll-paying traffic on the bridges.

The Bay Area Toll Authority, which administers tolls on the region's state-owned bridges, is considering three proposals, two of which would impose charges on carpoolers for the first time since the 1970s.

Under Option 1, tolls would increase from $4 to $5 for two-axle vehicles such as cars and motorcycles and there would be a $6 charge for each additional axle for trucks.

There also would be a $3 charge for carpools during peak periods on weekdays, which would represent the seismic retrofit portion of toll charges. Carpools would be required to get a FasTrak toll tag to qualify for the reduced rate and FasTrak equipment would be required in all carpool lanes.

Under Option 2, there would be a $5 toll for cars and motorcycles and a charge of $10 per each additional axle for trucks. But there would be no charge for carpools during peak periods.

Option 3 would be the same as Option 1 for all bridges except the Bay Bridge, where congestion pricing would be introduced.

The proposed charge for cars and motorcycles would be $6 during peak weekday periods and $4 during off-peak periods during the week as well as a $5 charge on weekends.

There would be a $6 charge for each additional axle for trucks at all times. And there also would be a $3 charge for carpools during peak periods.

The committee is expected to vote on the proposal in January. If a toll hike is approved, it's anticipated that it will take effect next July 1.

(MGO)