Toll Hikes

[Jerry]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/27/BA0D1BO1M7.DTL

The long, painful process of considering toll increases for the Bay Area's state-owned bridges ended Wednesday when the Bay Area Toll Authority bumped the cost of crossing the Bay Bridge to $6 during commute hours, and the price for driving across the other six bridges to $5.

But the real pain begins in July when just about everyone - including carpoolers - have to start paying more to cross the seven state spans. The Golden Gate Bridge, which is owned and controlled by an independent district, is not affected.

The package of toll hikes unanimously approved by the authority after months of public hearings brings to the Bay Area congestion-based and carpool tolls for the first time.

The higher fees are expected to generate an additional $160 million annually, and officials say the revenue is needed to pay for seismic strengthening of the Antioch and Dumbarton bridges, and because of declining bridge traffic and toll revenue and the rising cost of borrowing money.

About a dozen speakers asked the commission either to kill or reduce the toll increases. Among the opponents were casual carpoolers, and recreational vehicle and boat users.

On the Bay Bridge, drivers crossing during weekday commute hours - from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m - will have to pay $6. During other weekday hours, the toll will remain at $4. On weekends, it will rise to $5. The toll will increase to $5 at all times on the Dumbarton, San Mateo, Richmond-San Rafael, Carquinez, Benicia-Martinez and Antioch bridges. Carpoolers on all bridges will see their free ride end, as they're charged $2.50.

Two casual carpoolers objected to the new tolls and warned it could backfire.

"If a carpool charge is begun, there will be no benefit for people to pick up passengers before driving into the city," said Rachel Chang, who usually picks up riders. "The system will collapse."

Authority members Chris Daly of San Francisco and Tom Bates of Berkeley argued for cutting the carpool toll to $2, but the motion was voted down. The reduction would have lowered anticipated toll revenue by about $5 million. Bicyclists argued for using toll revenue to build a bike path across the Bay Bridge west span, but officials said state law does not allow that use. Bates said he has asked for information from the state counsel and asked state Sen. Loni Hancock, D- Berkeley, his wife, to introduce a bill that would allow tolls to be used for a bridge bike path.

Truck drivers will see the steepest increases, but in an attempt to soften the blow, their increases will be delayed for a year to allow them time to negotiate with their customers how to cover the costs. Trucks and other multiple-axle vehicles will be charged $5 per axle. They now pay from $6 for a three-axle vehicle to $13.50 for a seven-axle vehicle.

Funding at risk: BART has three weeks to satisfy Federal Transit Administration's concerns over airport connector. C2

Higher tolls

The new rates take effect July 1:

$2.50 Carpools, all bridges.

$5 All state bridges except the Bay Bridge.

$6 Bay Bridge during peak commute hours ($4 non-peak and $5 on weekends).

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Being a person who usually doesnt use tolls that much, I feel REALLY bad for people who have to deal with this.

anyone else have 2 cents on the situation?

[DivineChaos]

Carpooling amounts to what... a little under 1$ a day.  Of course it builds up, but overall that's a 30$ per month if you were to work every day of the week.  Encourages carpool, so I'll deal with it.  People going solo might as well take BART.  With the buses, it's completely plausible, just have to be wary of the traffic and delays. 

Of course that's just for the average person.  Now from the person who works in the city's perspective, it shouldn't be raised.  They make a lot of money in the mornings with the sheer amount of people incoming.  So I'd say for somewhere around 6a-10p there shouldn't be a raised amount.  Just make it completely time-based; if people can do time their carpool, they can time their bridge driving too.

And from the state's perspective, I see it as totally fine.  Prices for state-run things are going up; it's just a bit of equality all around so everyone's paying lots of money.

[Kuromi_Kat]

the toll hikes are CRAZY! Still does this not go to paying for city repairs, and the overall income of San Francisco?

[ewu]

kinda. the toll money is earmarked for very specific items: loans taken to build the bridge, maintenance, infrastructure improvement, and subsidizing things like public transportation....this is all depending on the Bay Area Toll Authority and CA legislature.

We either vote on the increases, or a committee in the authority votes on them. If its the commissioners, then they are appointed by our elected governments.

[G.I.R]

F'ing great.  Swarzenegger wanted to cut taxes, but now we have more fees.  At least this doesn't happen until July (I'm going to San Francisco Tomorrow  and will have to cross the Bay Bridge a couple of times).

[ewu]

The toll hikes may be very related or very distant from the actions of the Govornator. but think of the people who must pay the higher tolls each and every day, with their only other option a commute on public transport hours longer than by car.