The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
Commuting to and from work in the North Bay just got a little more expensive, as officials this month approved a plan to raise bridge tolls from 2025 through 2030. As of Jan. 1, the cost to cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, along with six other state-owned Bay Area bridges will go up $1, to a total of $8. Tolls will continue to rise over the next five years, under the plan worked out by the Bay Area Toll Authority. The Golden Gate Bridge is not state owned and isn’t subject to the BATA toll increases; the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District raised tolls on the Golden Gate last year.
As directed by Regional Measure 3, the transportation initiative approved by voters in 2018, bridge-toll revenues from the previous rate structure go toward projects aimed at reducing traffic. Revenues from the new toll increases will be put toward rising maintenance costs and capital improvements. Fastrak users will enjoy a discounted rate beginning in 2027.
These 7 Bay Area bridges are subject to the new toll increases: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, San Mateo-Hayward.
Bridge tolls: A historic comparison
The first Bay Area bridge to open was the Antioch Bridge, which crosses the San Joaquin River, in 1926. The original toll was toll was 45 cents per car (about $10 today) plus five cents (equivalent to about $1 today) per passenger. The state acquired the bridge in 1940 and dropped the toll altogether, before reinstating a 50-cent toll in 1978, equivalent to about $2.50 today. The Carquinez, Dumbarton and San Mateo bridges opened in 1927, ’28 and ’29, respectively. Our local Richmond-San Rafael Bridge opened in 1956. The most recent of the state-owned bridges to open was the Benicia-Martinez Bridge in 1962.
