Bay Area State Sen. Dave Cortese seeks audit of MTC, BATA over bridge toll hikes
A lawmaker is seeking a state audit of two agencies involved in the setting of Bay Area bridge tolls, claiming there is a lack of accountability.
On Thursday, State Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) asked the state auditor for an audit of the Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MTC) and the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA). In a statement, the senator cited a series of bridge toll hikes that are set to go into effect in 2026, following a toll hike that took effect in January.
"People who drive the seven Bay Area state-owned bridges want answers," Cortese, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, said in a statement.
Beginning next year, tolls are set to rise annually through 2030 on the Antioch, Bay, Benicia, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo bridges. Tolls on the Golden Gate Bridge are administered by a separate agency.
For drivers in regular two-axle cars and trucks, tolls would rise to $8.50 in 2026. FasTrak users would pay $9.00 in 2027, $9.50 in 2028, $10.00 in 2029 and $10.50 in 2030.
To encourage FasTrak use, drivers who use license plate accounts or invoiced tolling would also pay a premium ranging from 25 cents to $1.00 beginning in 2027. Tolls for large freight trucks and other vehicle/trailer combinations with three or more axles would also see increases.
Officials had previously stated the toll increases would fund the Toll Bridge Capital Improvement Plan, which includes almost $2 billion in projects to preserve the bridges, including painting, repairs and operational improvements.
The upcoming toll hikes are separate from a $1 increase that went into effect on Jan. 1, which is the last in a series of toll hikes brought on by Regional Measure 3. Approved by voters nearly seven years ago, the measure uses money collected for bridge tolls to fund multiple road and transit improvements.
"While prior toll increases approved in 2018 were supposed to be spent on bridge maintenance and repair costs, it is unclear exactly where that money went. Now BATA is increasing tolls again saying additional maintenance and repair costs were not factored into the 2018 measure. No wonder the public is so confused," Cortese said.
Cortese is asking the auditor to evaluate the process the MTC used to determine that the toll hike was necessary and to check the effectiveness of an MTC risk management policy aimed at avoiding cost overruns.
The audit also seeks analysis of four toll-funded programs overseen by MTC and BATA, which includes analyzing annual toll revenue and expenditures.
John Goodwin, a spokesperson for MTC and BATA, told CBS News Bay Area Thursday, "We at MTC look forward to working with the State Auditor to answer all the questions identified in the audit request from Senator Cortese's office."
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