While the Bay Bridge has made all sorts of headlines during the past few days, motorists and commuters will get a chance to sound off on an entirely different story next Wednesday—a proposal to raise tolls on the span.
Earlier this month, officials from the Bay Area Toll Authority, a regional body that maintains operations on seven local bridges (not including the Golden Gate), proposed three options for raising tolls on the spans , including a congestion-based increase that could costs motorists $6 to cross the Bay Bridge during peak travel times.
On Wednesday, the public will get its first chance to respond to the proposals, in a hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter at 101 Eighth St. in Oakland.
The hearing is the first of three in November regarding the toll proposals, which regional officials say are essential to pay for seismic upgrades to Bay Area bridges.
