Bay Area Bridge Tolls: Going Up Again?

Are you ready to pay more to drive across Bay Area bridges? The Bay Area Toll Authority is considering another toll hike starting in 2026. They want to know what you think at a public meeting next Wednesday. The meeting is at their headquarters in San Francisco and online, starting at 9:35 a. m. You can also call in. Tolls are set to rise from $7 to $8 in January 2025, as approved by voters in 2018. But this new plan would raise them even higher. By 2030, you might pay up to $11. 50 per crossing, depending on how you pay. Cars with more people inside would still pay half the rate. Why the increase? Bridges need maintenance and repairs. The 2018 toll increase paid for other regional transport needs, not bridges. Planned projects over the next 10 years will cost $1. 42 billion. Bridge crossings dropped by about 10% after the pandemic, cutting revenue. This forced the commission to borrow $560 million for repairs. Borrowing more would mean high interest payments over 30 years. The hike aims to encourage electronic payments with FasTrak. It's cheaper for the commission than handling payments through license plates or invoices. The Bay Area Toll Authority's 21 members, who represent cities, counties, and federal agencies, will decide on this during a special meeting on December 9. Some members, like Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza, already support the plan.