State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and a group of Bay Area lawmakers introduced a bill on Monday that would raise tolls on bridges to fund public transit.
At a press conference, Wiener announced SB 532, the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Public Transportation Emergency Act.
According to Sen. Wiener’s office, the proposed bill would raise tolls on seven state-owned Bay Area bridges by $1.50 for five years. Funds from the increase would be used to provide public transportation funding to prevent service cuts while improving safety, cleanliness, and reliability.
“We’ve made good progress in this year’s budget, but the future of public transportation in the Bay Area is still under threat due to pandemic-related operational deficits that, without help, will lead to severe service cuts,” said Sen. Wiener. “Bay Area transit ridership continues to climb, but it’s not happening quickly enough to make up for the loss of federal emergency assistance. SB 532 provides critical lifeline funding for our transit systems — ensuring they have the resources they need to provide safe, reliable service for our residents.”
Bridges that would see a toll increase under the bill include:
- San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
- San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
- Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
- Dumbarton Bridge
- Carquinez Bridge
- Benicia-Martinez Bridge
- Antioch Bridge
The toll increase would take effect from January 2024 through December 2028 and is estimated to yield $180 million annually over those five years.
