TRANSACTIONS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

June/July 2005

New FasTrak®-only Lanes Open at Bay Bridge

FasTrak® users now have exclusive use of the “mini-plaza” at the far right of the Bay Bridge toll plaza. (Photo: John Huseby, Caltrans)

MTC and Caltrans have set aside three more lanes at the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge toll plaza for the exclusive use by motorists paying tolls with FasTrak®. The affected lanes pass through the “mini-plaza” to the far right of the main toll plaza, and primarily serve FasTrak® users approaching the bridge from Interstate 880. Previously, motorists coming from Interstates 80 or 580 enjoyed easy access to two exclusive FasTrak® lanes in the middle and far left of the toll plaza, while FasTrak® users approaching the bridge from northbound Interstate 880 had to share lanes with motorists paying their tolls in cash.

The conversion of the three-lane “mini-plaza” to all-electronic payment is part of a continuing effort by MTC and Caltrans to increase FasTrak® use on the Bay Area’s toll bridges.

“FasTrak®-only lanes can handle about three times as many vehicles per hour as lanes where drivers stop to pay cash,” explained Albert Yee, Deputy Director of Operations for Caltrans District 4.

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