California Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed a bill that will allow San Francisco voters the opportunity to decide on Regional Measure 3 which would raise tolls on bridges.
Under the measure, the Bay Area’s seven state-owned toll bridges would see fees rise by as much as $3. The toll increase would fund $4.5 billion in congestion relief and mobility improvement projects.
Work includes adding additional lanes, new ferries, and increasing pedestrian access.
The measure may appear on the ballot as early as June, but the timing will be decided by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), as the Bay Area Toll Authority. MTC will also decide the amount of the increase and whether it would be imposed in phases or all at once.
The measure will appear on the ballot in nine counties.
“Nobody likes higher tolls,” MTC Chairman and Rohnert Park Mayor Jake Mackenzie said. “But nobody likes traffic jams or crush-loaded train cars either. The Bay Area has been blessed by seven straight years of strong economic growth. But the price we’ve paid is the growing congestion on our freeways, railways, and ferries. If our region is going to maintain its economic leadership, we have to invest in projects that will keep businesses and their workers moving.”