Toll hikes approved for Bay Area bridges

[tmoning]

The San Francisco Bay Area Toll Authority and Metropolitan Transit Commission, on Jan. 27, approved a proposal to increase the tolls on seven state-run Bay Area bridges.

Starting July 1, 2011, crossing a bridge in a two-axle motorhome with car in tow (four axles total) will cost $14. The toll increases to $20 in July 2012. The current charge for four axles is $8.25.

Commercial trucks and other vehicles with three or more axles also will pay the higher tolls.

State law requires the toll authority to base tolls on the number of axles on a vehicle or the total number of axles on a vehicle plus the total number of axles on the drawn trailer or vehicle.

I'm sure opponents of the toll hikes suggested lowering the tolls for noncommercial vehicles such as motorhomes ... apparently to no avail.

The toll hikes would raise $160,000 per year to finance seismic retrofit projects on two of the bridges. I expect most motorhomes understand the need for a toll increase to improve bridges' resistance to earthquakes, but more than doubling the current fee seems a bit steep.

The car toll and other two-axle tolls, meanwhile, rose only from $4 to $5 for six of the bridges, effective July 1, 2010. Is the inconvenience of driving the motorhome and toad separately over a bridge worth a $10 savings?

[tbutler]

We all know that the infrastructure in this country is on its last legs. Bridges in particular have been neglected and many are in dangerously substandard condition. Larger, heavier vehicles bear the responsibility for the damage they inflict on these bridges. The bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis the year before the FMCA Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul is just one example. Imagine how we would have felt if a caravan of motor homes on the way to FMCA had been crossing that bridge when it collapsed!

Several years ago I crossed the Tappanzee bridge over the Hudson at New York City. The toll was well into the teens I believe. I thought that was a huge toll but then I saw a program detailing the condition of that bridge and I'm glad they are collecting tolls to help replace it. The tolls raise such a small amount that they can't possibly pay the bill on their own. I can imagine that the $160,000 mentioned above is just a tiny part of what is needed to bring these bridges up to standard. I know for a fact that the Oakland Bay Bridge is in terrible shape and is being used only because they have put some emergency band aids in place to keep it "safe." One of those band aids failed last year and shut the bridge down for several days until it could be patched up yet again.

The prosperity of this country is threatened by the deteriorating condition of our infrastructure. We must rebuild the country from the ground up and it is going to cost us, now or later. I'm in favor of paying now. The cost will only go up as we postpone this important work.

Given the recent events in Haiti and the nature and history of the San Francisco Bay area, I think these bridges should be considered a national emergency and improving their condition should be a top priority.

[cbayman@embarqmail.com]

Tom, I agree with you. I happen to work for my inlaws and we build bridges. People would have a heart attack if they knew how bad some of the bridges are they are driving over. The I-35 bridge cost was between $300 to $350 million dollars to replace and I would think anything in the Bay Area would be substantially more. Therefore, it will take a lot of $20 tolls to help pay for any replacement. If we want to keep traveling in our motorhomes like we do now, roads and bridges will have to be updated.

[vickyhferrari@gmail.com]

The proposed toll increase was brought to the attention of the FMCA Governmental and Legislative Affairs Committee. FMCA delivered a letter at the BATA meeting signed by Charlie Schrenkel, FMCA national president. While FMCA supports maintenance of our nation's infrastructure, we did object to the inequitable increase of the tolls for motorhomes and other non-commercial vehicles towing. The text of the letter is as follows:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I represent the Family Motor Coach Association, a non-profit organization of over 100,000 motorhome owners. I am writing to you at the request and on behalf of our members, approximately 13,000 of whom reside in California. Our members have expressed concern over the disproportionate impact of the proposed toll increases on motorhomes and other non-commercial vehicles towing cars and trailers. While 2-axle vehicles will generally see a toll increase from $4.00 to $5.00 (a 25% increase), the proposed toll increase for 4-axle vehicles, including cars, trucks and motorhomes towing, is from $8.25 to $20.00 (a 142.4% increase).

We respectfully request that the BATA consider a toll increase that is more equitable and in-line with the proposed 2-axle toll increase for non-commercial travelers towing vehicles. We do recognize that there could be logistical problems in any increase that distinguishes between commercial and non-commercial vehicles, and multi-axle vehicles versus two 2-axle vehicles travelling under tow, but we would ask that you try to find a means to overcome these problems. We are aware that one of our members, Bob Lundin, has given this matter much consideration and does have a specific proposal for your consideration.

Safety is of tantamount concern for FMCA as I am sure it is for BATA. We are troubled by the possibility that travelers who are towing cars will stop before the toll booth and disconnect towed cars in order pay the reduced toll for two 2-axle vehicles (generally $10) rather than the toll for a 4-axle vehicle ($20.00). This is yet one other reason to try to come up with an equitable increase for non-commercial vehicles.

Thank you for your consideration.

FMCA also sent an e-mail, regarding the BATA meeting, to Bay Area FMCA members in case our members wanted to have a voice in the discussion. Bob Lundin, FMCA member, brought the matter to our attention and spoke at the meeting for his allotted one minute, offering what he considered to be a more equitable solution.

As Todd inquired above, I too, am curious if FMCA members will stop short of the toll booth to disconnect their towed vehicle to save the $10 (the toll difference between two 2-axle vehicles traveling separately and a two-axle vehicle (motorhome) towing another two axle vehicle.

Vicky Ferrari

Chairman, FMCA Governmental and Legislative Affairs Committee

[lundin.bob@gmail.com]

January 27, 2010 BABT/MTC Hearing summary:

The hearing room was packed to overflow with people to speak regarding the toll increase and another agenda item regarding a union project. There was a union demonstration at the front steps of the BABT offices.

Before the hearing, I spoke with the director of legislation and public affairs for BATA & MTC to see if there was any possibility we could reach a compromise. Essentially, he said the reason why the toll structure is the way it is to keep the toll takers honest. By counting axles, the bridge computer can determine the amount of tolls that should have been taken and the actual cash. Apparently, they don’t trust the toll takes. The toll structure will remain the same is the staff’s recommendation. He did understand what we were trying to do.

In a side note: The first time I spoke on January 13, the reason the toll structure could not change was that state law mandated an axle based system (which mine was). I researched the California Street and Highway Code and believe my proposal is not in opposition to the code. It was not until the hearing did the “don’t trust the toll takers†come up.

At the hearing, a number of people spoke regarding a bike lane on the western section of the Bay Bridge and a number spoke regarding the new carpool toll. We were allowed only one minute each. I spoke regarding RV’s and another person spoke regarding tolls for boats.

I am not sure the commissions (elected folks from the Bay Area counties) neither wanted to be there nor were they interested in what was said. At one point, a commissioner made a motion to reduce the carpool toll from $2.50 to $2.00 and was soundly rejected. Another commissioner said “the purpose they are there is to raise tolls†for seismic retrofit of two bridges. Our suggestion for a more equitable toll was rejected.

An overriding concern is that I have received no inquiries from the FMCA email broadcast nor has any member of our club that resides in the Bay Area expressed any desire to get involved.

We use the Antioch Bridge once a year and it is slated for the upgrade. Now, I will find a way around that bridge till it gets fixed.

So on January 27, the Bay Area Transit Authority and Metropolitan Transit Commission approved a toll increase for all California State owned bridges. For motorhomes towing a car (4 axles total) and commercial trucks, the toll will increase from $8.25 to $14 in July 2011 and to $20 in July of 2012. For those who can raise a tag axle, do so while going through the toll booth and save $5 since that axle is not on the ground. Autos and any other two axle tolls are increasing to $5 on July 1, 2010.

The reason for the toll increased is to make seismic repairs on two bridges but the toll increase is permanent and those funds used for other projects in the future. The new money is needed since none is available from the State of California or the federal government.

Several attempts were made to reduce the toll to a more equitable rate for private vehicles but the elected officials of the Bay Area counties were not interested. If you have any further questions or concerns, go to the MTC web site at www.mtc.ca.gov.

Bob Lundin F370218

[tmoning]

FMCA delivered a letter at the BATA meeting signed by Charlie Schrenkel, FMCA national president. While FMCA supports maintenance of our nation's infrastructure, we did object to the inequitable increase of the tolls for motorhomes and other non-commercial vehicles towing.

Here is the response letter that FMCA received from the Bay Area Toll Authority:

Toll_Bridge_Response.pdf