Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA)

Purpose

The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) was created by the California Legislature in 1997 to administer the base $1 toll on the San Francisco Bay Area's seven state-owned toll bridges. On Jan. 1, 1998, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) -- the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county region -- began operations as BATA.

History

Bay Area bridge toll revenues were increased to a uniform $1 level by the region's voters in 1988 as part of Regional Measure 1 (RM 1), with proceeds pledged to specific bridge corridor improvements, including a 3 percent set-aside for ferry and other transit services. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) owns and operates the toll bridges and is responsible for the construction of the voter-approved RM 1 projects. With the formation of BATA, MTC has assumed administration of the RM 1 tolls from the California Transportation Commission (CTC), and has new project oversight responsibilities for the RM 1 bridge program. That program includes construction of a new span of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, a replacement for the west span of the Carquinez Bridge, and widening the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge. (See construction photos)

Related Legislation

Also taking effect in January 1998 was legislation to levy a $1 bridge toll surcharge on the Legislation state-owned Bay Area bridges for eight years (bringing tolls to $2). These moneys will help fund the seismic retrofit of five of the region's bridges. In the case of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, replacement costs for the eastern span are factored in as well. The legislation also earmarked an additional 2 percent of the RM 1 toll for ferries. The revenues from the surcharge are administered by Caltrans, but BATA has the option of extending the surcharge for two years to pay for up to three authorized "amenities" on the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge: a cable-supported bridge; relocation of San Francisco's Transbay Transit Terminal; and bicycle/pedestrian access on the new span.

Responsibilities

BATA administers, programs and allocates all toll and other revenues (except the $1 seismic surcharge) from the seven state-owned toll bridges: Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay and San Mateo-Hayward. It also is required to prepare a long-range plan for delivering RM 1 projects; enter into a cooperative agreement with Caltrans setting forth the division of responsibilities between the two agencies with respect to the toll bridges; and submit an annual financial report to the Legislature. The authority is authorized to issue toll revenue bonds both to retire the existing CTC bonds and to finance the RM 1 projects.

Organization

Operating as BATA, MTC's 19 commissioners meet monthly to give policy direction to the toll authority. Fourteen members are appointed directly by local elected officials. Two members represent regional agencies -- the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. In addition, three non-voting members have been appointed to represent federal and state transportation agencies and the federal housing department. Day-to-day staffing for BATA is provided by the Bridge and Highway Operations department of MTC.