Golden Gate Bridge Carpoolers: Pay Up

The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District board of directors on Friday unanimously approved a $3 toll for carpools on the bridge. The regular toll for two-axle vehicles is $6.

The board also voted unanimously to raise tolls for multi-axle  vehicles, but an increase in the two-axle vehicles fee is not on the horizon, a bridge spokesman said.

The carpool toll will raise an estimated $1.3 million per year and  takes effect July 1, bridge manager Kary H. Witt said.

The carpool toll applies to two-axle vehicles with three or more  occupants, motorcycles, and buses between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Vehicles will be required to register with a valid FasTrak account  in good standing. Drivers will stop in a staffed traffic lane to verify  eligibility for the reduced toll.

Witt said carpools comprise just more than 2 percent of bridge  traffic, and the district doesn't expect commute traffic to be delayed when  carpools stop at the toll plaza. The toll hikes for multi-axle vehicles will be phased in starting  July 1, 2011. The second increase will be July 1, 2012.

Bay City News

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