Bay Area Toll Authority

 

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Toll Bridge Projects

BATA is responsible for funding and jointly overseeing the capital improvement, rehabilitation and seismic retrofitting of the seven state-owned toll bridges in the Bay Area.

Regional Measure 1 (RM 1)

In 1988, Bay Area voters approved Regional Measure 1, raising tolls on the state-owned bridges to a uniform $1 and pledging the proceeds to specific bridge corridor improvements. Caltrans owns and operates the toll bridges and is responsible for the construction of the voter-approved RM 1 projects, including a new span for the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, a replacement for the west span of the Carquinez Bridge, and widening the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge. BATA is responsible for funding and overseeing the RM 1 bridge program.

Regional Measure 2

With transbay travel in the Bay Area expected to increase by approximately 40 percent over the next two decades, the California Legislature in 2002 determined that new investment in the bridge corridors was needed, along with a new revenue source.

Regional Measure 2 (RM 2) was approved by Bay Area voters in March 2004 and increases tolls on the region’s state-owned bridges by $1 to fund a balanced set of transportation projects in the bridge corridors, including new mass transit options and critical highway bottleneck improvements.

The list of projects — called the “Regional Traffic Relief Plan” and included in the enabling legislation — will be financed by the $1 increase in tolls. MTC will be responsible for allocating the toll. The Bay Area Toll Authority will be responsible for issuing bonds and for submitting updates on the Regional Traffic Relief Plan to the state Legislature.

Toll Bridge Seismic Retrofit Program

Since 1998, drivers on all Bay Area state-owned bridges have paid a seismic surcharge to help finance a seismic retrofit program to strengthen and reinforce bridge structures and roadways on five of the bridges in the event of a major earthquake. The original $1 surcharge was increased to $2 starting on January 1, 2007.

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