Bay Area voters to decide on bridge toll hikes

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - On June 5, voters in all nine Bay Area counties are being asked to approve an increase in bridge tolls, in exchange for a massive transportation bill.  “Regional Measure 3” promises to bring big improvements to the Bay Area commute by generating $4.5 billion over the next 25 years. 

The money would help fund 35 transportation projects including: a BART extension to the South Bay; 300 new BART train cars; a Caltrain extension into downtown San Francisco; an increase in ferry service between San Francisco and Oakland and expansion of service to San Francisco’s Mission Bay, Berkeley and Redwood City.  

70 percent of the funding from Regional Measure 3 would go to public transit, but it also includes money for freeway widening and more freeway express lanes.

To pay for all those improvements, drivers would pay more in tolls on all seven of the state-owned bridges in the Bay Area.  On the Bay Bridge, during peak hours, the toll would increase from $6 to $7 next year, $8 in 2022 and $9 in 2025. 

Currently it’s $5 to cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, San Mateo Bridge, Dumbarton Bridge, Carquinez, Benicia-Martinez and Antioch bridges.  Those tolls would go up to $6 next year, $7 in 2022, and $8 in 2025.

Tolls on the Golden Gate Bridge are not affected by Regional Measure 3.