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Tolls reportedly coming to 'many if not most' Bay Area freeways to meet the 19 percent reduction in per-capita greenhouse gas emissions mandated by state law.


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2020 Aug 18, 3:32pm   1,242 views  29 comments

by Eric Holder   ➕follow (5)   💰tip   ignore  

The government agency responsible for Bay Area transportation is planning on dramatically expanding tolling on freeways in the region, as revealed in an interagency letter seen by SFGATE.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission stated in the correspondence, sent to to the directors of the Bay Area’s county transportation agencies (CTAs) earlier this month, that they envision an "eventual transition to congestion pricing on all freeway lanes in corridors with robust transit options."

The letter also outlines a plan to “lower the speed limit to 55 mph on freeways to improve safety.

According to the letter, the agency wants to eventually implement congestion pricing on all lanes of many, if not most, Bay Area freeways.

Express lanes — which require tolls for those not in a carpool or on public transpiration — are currently being added to Highway 101 in San Mateo County. The MTC's letter states that “express lanes can be a stepping stone to more extensive congestion pricing strategies.”

"The purpose of the email is to solicit the CTA's support for the Plan Bay Area 2050 Blueprint strategies as a package." MTC Assistant Director of Communications John Goodwin told SFGATE, "This package is likely to include all-lane tolling in select freeway corridors strictly as a planning assumption in order to help the final Plan Bay Area 2050 meet the 19 percent reduction in per-capita greenhouse gas emissions mandated by state law."

https://www.sfgate.com/driving/article/Tolls-coming-to-many-if-not-most-Bay-Area-freeways-15492804.php

Comments 1 - 29 of 29        Search these comments

1   anonymous   2020 Aug 18, 3:44pm  

I can't leave the Bay Area fast enough!
2   Booger   2020 Aug 18, 5:54pm  

Fuck California
3   Ceffer   2020 Aug 18, 6:22pm  

If Biden wins, the toll booths will have BLM Reparations Deputies to collect those, too. If you don't fork over, your car is impounded forthwith and you get to leg it home without your wallet or cell phone.
4   WookieMan   2020 Aug 18, 6:59pm  

I don't know how it works out there in CA. I actually like the IL toll roads after they underwent a massive administrative reform after there was corruption some decades back. I can afford it and uninsured illegals can't afford to get on, so they don't take it. Safer driving, better roads and lower likelihood of getting smashed into by an uninsured driver. Generally less traffic as well. I was dropping $700-$1k a year on tolls at my peak and every dollar was worth it for the most part. Extremely good with snow removal I might add.

I'm sure CA fucks it up and will fuck up expanded tolls, but that's almost certainly corruption. I frankly don't know how IL turned it around, but I'm okay with the tolls. Gets rid of the trash so to speak. Last time I was out in CA the interstates were mostly trash though. Can't remember what was toll or not. Or if any of it was toll. Roads blew though. San Diego to Anaheim and Ontario to Palm Springs.
5   EBGuy   2020 Aug 18, 7:07pm  

Can't understand why more people aren't riding BART...
6   SunnyvaleCA   2020 Aug 18, 11:55pm  

rox42 says
I can't leave the Bay Area fast enough!
Well, you will now apparently be leaving California at a speed of no more than 55 MPH. I'll carpool with you and we'll save the toll!
7   SunnyvaleCA   2020 Aug 18, 11:57pm  

Plan Bay Area 2050 meet the 19 percent reduction in per-capita greenhouse gas emissions
Reduce per-capita emissions by 19% while simultaneously having open-border immigration to double the population. What's the point?
8   zzyzzx   2020 Aug 19, 6:04am  

Obligatory $30 toll comment:



Fuck northern Virginia!
9   RWSGFY   2020 Aug 19, 6:40am  

EBGuy says
Can't understand why more people aren't riding BART...


Smelly bums.
10   zzyzzx   2020 Aug 19, 6:59am  

EBGuy says
Can't understand why more people aren't riding BART...


Obama's sons.
11   WookieMan   2020 Aug 19, 7:02am  

zzyzzx says
Fuck northern Virginia!

$30 is a bit much. Indiana Toll Road (I-80) is pretty bad if you travel the 2-3 hours across the state. I think it's pushing close to $30, but haven't done that drive in a decade. Road was in terrible condition. Even with airport parking when we go to my wife's farm in Ohio we just fly into Cleveland using points. Factor in IL and OH and it's close to $60 one way if I recall correctly. Gas in our big SUV, so close to $180-200/rt.

Flight is $44, $40 for parking and we're there and back almost 2 hours faster even accounting for airport arrival time. Perfect example of why rail, even high speed can never work here in the states. Not a chance you could get a family of 4 to Cleveland under 4 hours at $21/person round trip. Rail is safer per passenger mile versus driving, but no where remotely close to flying. And the 4 hours saved matter if you have ever placed a value on your time before. Close to $500 in time savings.
12   SunnyvaleCA   2020 Aug 19, 12:24pm  

zzyzzx says
EBGuy says
Can't understand why more people aren't riding BART...


Obama's sons.


Lots of people are "riding" BART ... they just aren't paying.
"Witnesses told police that 40 to 60 juveniles flooded the station, jumped the fare gates and rushed to the second-story train platform. Some of the robbers apparently held open the doors of a Dublin-bound train car while others streamed inside, confronting and robbing and in some cases beating riders."
https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/BART-takeover-robbery-50-to-60-teens-swarm-11094745.php
13   RWSGFY   2020 Aug 19, 3:10pm  

SunnyvaleCA says
Lots of people are "riding" BART ... they just aren't paying.


Reparations, bitchez!
14   EBGuy   2020 Aug 19, 5:59pm  

AC Transit buses actually are free for the foreseeable future...
AC Transit has suspended fare collections, so all rides on the East Bay’s primary bus service will be free for the remainder of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The decision was made out of concern for the health and safety of our bus operators and riders,” said AC Transit spokesman Robert Lyles.
15   HeadSet   2020 Aug 20, 7:22am  

zzyzzx says
Obligatory $30 toll comment:



Fuck northern Virginia!


I was actually on 495 yesterday on my way back from PA. That toll is only for the express lanes, the regular lanes have no tolls.
16   HeadSet   2020 Aug 20, 7:30am  

$30 is a bit much. Indiana Toll Road (I-80) is pretty bad if you travel the 2-3 hours across the state.

Yes, and what is with the pavement? I drove across Indiana last week on I-80 and had to endure sections of that road with an extremely load roar, and that was in a Honda Odyssey. I presume that noise is caused by grooves in the road. Maybe this is Indiana's way of getting people to slow down.
17   WookieMan   2020 Aug 20, 9:24am  

HeadSet says


$30 is a bit much. Indiana Toll Road (I-80) is pretty bad if you travel the 2-3 hours across the state.

Yes, and what is with the pavement? I drove across Indiana last week on I-80 and had to endure sections of that road with an extremely load roar, and that was in a Honda Odyssey. I presume that noise is caused by grooves in the road. Maybe this is Indiana's way of getting people to slow down.

Indiana roads I've traveled have been awful. They're finally trying to update and clean up I-65 going south. Just took that in early May to TN. At least you don't have to pay for the rough ride on 65, lol. Even non-highway (county) roads are pretty bad. Some cities do okay.

Indiana is a weird state. I get a bad vibe when I'm there and I cannot describe why. Even before the event I'm about to describe I felt this way. The people are strange.

We were coming back from the Smokies about 7 years ago, pulling the camper. We were about 2 hours or so from home, but I was cashed and we had lighting issues with brake lights and night time running lights on the camper and it was getting dark. So we said fuck getting a $150 ticket and let's just pull into a state park campground. To shorten the story the woman checking us in was an absolute idiot. Took her 15 minutes. Line of 6 cars behind us. Settle in, put my youngest to bed, start a fire and DNR rolls up. Accuses me of taking $600 from the checkin office. I didn't. Usually my reaction was to be "FUCK YOU." Instead I walk over and hand them the camper and car keys and tell them to search and they can search us personally if they want too. They don't and move on. Weirdest exchange in my life.

To somewhat stick to the OP, it was a 1963 vintage canned ham camper and the roads sucked. Made me realize I should probably replace the axel on it. And that people from Indiana are not normal. No wonder they call it the crossroads state or whatever. I have zero intention of staying there again except of all places South Bend, but ND is not your standard uni. And my favorite band is from there, so I'll be going there occasionally.
18   RWSGFY   2020 Aug 20, 9:47am  

WookieMan says
people from Indiana are not normal.


This was my conclusion after interaction with one couple from Indiana. We had a tiniest possible car accident: very light tap of our rental minivan's front bumper on the rear bumper of their rental sedan (from the same rental co, btw). At 1 mph tops. My fault, of course ( even though starting to pull out on the highway and then suddenly stopping with no other cars anywhere near was pretty idiotic on their part). No damage, not even a scratch on both cars. You'd think that giving DL/insurance info and taking pictures would be enough? No, Sir: they demanded we don't move the cars, call the police to "investigate and make a police report". Police, of course, laughed them off the phone after learning that there were no victims or even damage, so we finally parted our ways. But wait, there is more: 6 month after the encounter I get a call from my insurance saying that there is a claim against me and asking for my statement. I asked for damage assesment first and since both cars were long gone from the rental fleet by then this whole thing has died on the vine. But I now have a special spot in my heart for IN people.
19   Eric Holder   2021 Feb 16, 8:16pm  

If you have one of these Fastrak Flex transponders check your statement regularly: these fucks often charge people for driving in express lanes even though they are carrying 2-3 passengers with transponders set to 3. If you dispute the charge they immediately roll it back unless it's more than 30 days old.
20   REpro   2021 Feb 16, 9:34pm  

"This package is likely to include all-lane tolling in select freeway corridors strictly as a planning assumption in order to help the final Plan Bay Area 2050 meet the 19 percent reduction in per-capita greenhouse gas emissions mandated by state law."

That's mean all cars will pay toll. Electric included. Awesome .....
21   clambo   2021 Feb 17, 6:06am  

The entire premise of “reducing greenhouse gas” is fake; the real purpose is to invent a new pretext for a new way to tax people.

I know a guy who was up in Santa Cruz County and regional government planning, and this is how he and his ilk thought.

To the government guy, there is simply not enough money to pay for the projects, services, and pensions of government workers.

They know that you are going to drive no matter what; taxing driving on public freeways sounds evil compared to taxing driving to “save the earth.”

In Florida I use the turnpike if it’s convenient; it tends to keep out the riff raff.
22   Tenpoundbass   2021 Feb 17, 6:28am  

Man nothing reduces greenhouse gasses like a huge pile of money. It just sucks the carbon right out of the air.
Do you know how many flights to Bohemian Grove, in a super jet liner, you could finance with that kind of cash?
Why the California elites wont have to fly Economy any more...

Wu... wa... what were we talking about again? Oh Yeah! You shit birds paying to ride on the roads, your gas, employment, and property taxes already paid for a gazillion times over.
So Newsome can fly to clandestine destination and slap dicks with Barack Obama and the boys! Don't tell big Mike!
23   zzyzzx   2021 Feb 17, 6:36am  

Fuck Toll Roads. I'd never commute on one.
24   WookieMan   2021 Feb 17, 7:51am  

I'm actually okay with toll roads that reinvest into them and make them good roads. Greenhouse bullshit can burn in hell. Make the road better and you won't have thousands of cars sitting there in traffic idling and polluting!!! Jesus Christ the logic on the left is so fucking backwards.

Cars will always be increasing just like population. Move them along faster and you pollute less. Isn't that common sense? I know you guys don't have cold winters, but next people will start getting taxed to warm their fucking cars up. Fun fact, I did let my car run for 2 hours yesterday to melt the snow off and forgot it was on. Remote start bans on vehicles are coming soon. Just wait.
25   richwicks   2021 Feb 17, 8:16am  

WookieMan says
I'm actually okay with toll roads that reinvest into them and make them good roads.


You know that isn't going to happen.

The money from the lottery is supposed to be reinvested into education. Try to trace the money.

The problem with our society isn't that people are stupid, it's that they are naive and gullible. People simply assume that taxes are used to improve the area, but they never, EVER check a budget and verify it, and our "news" sure as fuck doesn't. Our governments are mafias, nothing more. They do the absolute bare minimum to convince you they are actually performing a service.
26   RWSGFY   2021 Feb 17, 8:19am  

richwicks says
WookieMan says
I'm actually okay with toll roads that reinvest into them and make them good roads.


You know that isn't going to happen.


They raised tolls on SFBA bridges but didn't even try to pretend that extra money would go into bridge and road maintenance. Same will happen with road tolls.
27   RWSGFY   2021 Feb 17, 8:43am  

clambo says
The entire premise of “reducing greenhouse gas” is fake; the real purpose is to invent a new pretext for a new way to tax people.

I know a guy who was up in Santa Cruz County and regional government planning, and this is how he and his ilk thought.


About 10-15 years ago some CARB cunt was caught on a hot mic admitting that because cars don't rust in CA the strict smog testing is primarily to force people to junk their old cars and buy new/newer ones, pouring shitload of sales tax money into state's coffers in process. It ceased to have anything to do with actual air quality looong time ago.
28   WookieMan   2021 Feb 17, 9:14am  

richwicks says
You know that isn't going to happen

Was being somewhat sarcastic. There is patronage here in IL with contractor hiring, but our toll roads are actually pretty damn solid and congestion free. We also had a big fraud investigation years back that put people in jail. So it has been more regulated, at least as best it can. The roads are plowed, newer, well taken care of and were built to the proper capacity for the traffic.

It sucks to pay tolls and they weren't supposed to be permanent, but if the road is good and quick I'd rather have that then the alternative with or without tolls. They'll take your money either way. Our tolls are also low by todays standard. From the Western burbs inbound to Chicago round trip I think it's only like $4-5. Sure it hits poor people, but they'd likely burn more in fuel and wear and tear on their car just sitting in traffic or driving on shit roads.
29   FortwayeAsFuckJoeBiden   2021 Feb 17, 9:20am  

Easy way to get tax dollars out of stupid leftists. Tell them that paying tolls for what was paid by tax dollars will save the planet.

Such stupid fucks, they’ll accept it too, especially if few BLM show people will come out for it.

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