PUBLIC HEARINGS

Bay Area Toll Authority Notice of Public Hearing

A fourth public hearing has been added to receive public testimony on a proposed toll increase on seven of the eight Bay Area bridges.

To fund the completion of the toll bridge seismic retrofit program – including the seismic retrofit of the Dumbarton and Antioch bridges – the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) proposes to increase the toll rates for vehicles crossing the seven state-owned toll bridges in the Bay Area (Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland, and San Mateo-Hayward bridges) as authorized pursuant to the California Streets and Highways Code. If approved, the toll increases are proposed to become effective July 1, 2010.

The ongoing seismic upgrade program, sponsored by the Bay Area Toll Authority, Caltrans and the California Transportation Commission, when completed, will retrofit or replace five of the San Francisco Bay Area’s state-owned toll bridges. The region’s two remaining state-owned toll bridges – the Antioch and Dumbarton – need to also be brought up to current earthquake safety standards.

The first public hearing was held on Wednesday, November 4 at 1:30 p.m. during BATA’s Oversight Committee meeting in the Lawrence D. Dahms Auditorium at the Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter in Oakland, California.

Another hearing has been added, making a total of three more hearings to receive oral or written testimony in regards to the proposed seismic surcharge toll increase, as follows:

Tuesday, November 17, 2009, at 6:30 p.m.
San Mateo City Hall – City Council Chambers
330 West 20th Avenue, San Mateo, California

Thursday, December 3, 2009, at 6:30 p.m.
Concord Senior Center – Wisteria Room
2727 Parkside Circle, Concord, California
(located in John F. Baldwin Park)

Monday, December 7, 2009, at 6:30 p.m.
San Francisco State University, Downtown Campus
835 Market Street, Room 609
San Francisco, California

All of the evening hearings will feature a short open house (from 6:30 to 7 p.m.) and a staff presentation (beginning at 7 p.m.) prior to taking public testimony.

Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m., December 21, 2009; written comments should be submitted to the BATA Public Information Office at 101 Eighth Street, Oakland, California, 94607-4700; or faxed to BATA at 510.817.5848; or sent via E-mail to tolls@mtc.ca.gov.

After receipt and review of public comment, BATA is scheduled to consider the adoption of a revised toll schedule at its January 2010 meeting. View an updated list of meeting dates (meetings are posted to the schedule approximately one month prior). For more information, call the BATA Public Information Office at 510.817.5757.