It could soon cost even more to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, whether on foot, in a car or on the bus.
Bridge leaders are again floating the idea of charging bicyclists and pedestrians to use the famed span's sidewalks. Golden Gate Transportation District officials say, while nothing is set in stone, it's clear the district needs to do “something” to offset the seismic retrofit, the Doyle Drive upgrade and other mounting costs.
The bridge district released its plan on Monday to keep the agency solvent that includes the sidewalk toll. The price of the possible sidewalk toll hasn't been determined.
Public comment will be sought if it moves forward.
Pedestrians haven't been charged to walk on the iconic bridge since 1970.
The bridge, which is facing a $33 million deficit, had a 10-cent sidewalk toll from May 1937 to December 1970. Officials considered re-establishing a toll about 10 years ago but abandoned the effort in the face of opposition from bike groups.
"They need to find other things to charge people for," said Cheryl Luconuglo, who lives north of the bridge in Mill Valley. "That’s sort of pathetic. That’s a landmark for San Francisco, and people come here to enjoy it, so I’m stunned to think they’d even think that way."
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Mark Reuben, who owns Tour De Sausalito, said his bike rental business would be negatively affected if a sidewalk toll were to be implemented.
"I think it would really shut it down a lot," Reuben said. "You would be taking the fun out, the joy of riding up to bridge, and pay another sales tax to go across the bridge. It’s just ridiculous."
While locals aren't crazy about the idea, tourists don't seem to mind paying the sidewalk toll since they're not here that often.
"Yeah. We Want to cross the bridge," said Donny De Rijka, a tourist visiting from the Netherlands. "So if there's a small fee -- we pay it."
Other possibilities being explored include raising the toll once more for cars, and raising bus and ferry fares. Under the plan, the district might boost the price for cars heading into the city by a dollar, ultimately hiking the FasTrak toll to $7 and the pay-by-plate toll to $8 by July 2018.
The board reviews the plan as a whole on Friday.
NBC Bay Area's Nannette Miranda and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
