Golden Gate Bridge tolls rise July 1st

Golden Gate Bridge toll set to rise

The price hikes are meant to offset a projected multi-million-dollar budget shortfall facing the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District.

San Francisco, California - A Bay Area icon will soon want a little more out of your pocket.

On Tuesday, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District will raise the toll for the legendary San Francisco Bay crossing by 50 cents.

FastTrak users will pay $9.75, pay-as-you-go users will pay $10.00, and carpool rates will cost up to $7.75.

What they're saying:

"This is really tracked to the rising expenses that we see on an annual basis," said Golden Gate Bridge District spokesperson Paolo Cosulich-Swartz.

Cosulich-Swartz said traffic on the bridge is down about 15% from pre-pandemic levels, and that has led the district to face a five-year, $220 million dollar budget shortfall. The major expenses are bridge maintenance, safety and security. 

He added tolls are the largest primary source of revenue for the bridge, and the price hikes are meant to partially offset that projected budget deficit.

"The first part of all bridge tolls goes to paint and steel and staff who are out there every day making sure that the Golden Gate Bridge is standing strong and tall and looks good also. It is a major attraction for people from all over the world," Cosulich-Swartz said.

Toll money also helps finance the Golden Gate ferry and bus systems, both of which take swarms of vehicles off the bridge and Highway 101.

At the Mill Valley ARCO, price-sensitive bridge users were dealing with mixed feelings.

"We're going to have to pay for it. We can't stop them. We can't ban it.  What can I do? Say ‘no’ and walk across it every day?" said bridge user Brian Long. 

"It's a little painful, of course, but honestly I'm okay with it," said commuter Cory Jamison. "It always seems like it's worth in terms of how well it's taken care of and what it brings and also all the tourism it brings in, of course."

"It's an incredible resource and I appreciate all the work that goes into maintaining it, and all the support for cyclists and pedestrians who recreate on the bridge. So I'm happy to pay it," said Morgan Abbett.

What's next:

Tolls on state bridges are set to follow suit in six months, with their tolls also going up fifty cents for the next five years beginning on January 1.