Lawmakers Approve Bill To Raise Bay Area Bridge Tolls

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- It could soon cost you as much as $9 to get across the new Bay Bridge.

Lawmakers approved a bill this week to raise tolls by as much as $3 on all seven of the Bay Area's state-owned bridges.

That would put the cost as high as $9 to cross the Bay Bridge, which has congestion pricing -- and $8 on the others.

State Senator Jim Beall of San Jose authored the bill.

He says added revenue would fund nearly $4.5 billion dollars worth of transportation projects aimed at reducing congestion.

If the governor signs off, voters would still have to give their approval on the June ballot next year.

The only bridge exempt from the proposed increase would be the Golden Gate, because it is run by its own transit district.