Editing Dumbarton Bridge (California) (section)

==Tolls==
Tolls are only collected from westbound traffic headed to Menlo Park at the toll plaza on the Fremont side of the bay. [[All-electronic tolling]] has been in effect since 2020, and drivers may either pay using the [[FasTrak]] electronic toll collection device or using the license plate tolling program. It remains not truly an [[open road tolling]] system until the remaining unused toll booths are removed, forcing drivers to slow substantially from freeway speeds while passing through. Effective {{Start and end dates|2025|01|01|2025|12|31}}, the toll rate for passenger cars is $8. During peak traffic hours on weekdays between 5:00&nbsp;am and 10:00&nbsp;am, and between 3:00&nbsp;pm and 7:00&nbsp;pm, [[carpool]] vehicles carrying three or more people, clean air vehicles, or motorcycles may pay a discounted toll of $4 if they have FasTrak and use the designated carpool lane. Carpools with two people may also receive the discount until 2026. Drivers without Fastrak or a license plate account must open and pay via a "short term" account within 48 hours after crossing the bridge or they will be sent an invoice of the unpaid toll. No additional toll violation penalty will be assessed if the invoice is paid within 21 days.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dumbarton Bridge|url=https://www.bayareafastrak.org/en/tolls/dumbarton-bridge.shtml|website=www.bayareafastrak.org|publisher=CalTrans|access-date=January 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ways to Pay|url=https://www.bayareafastrak.org/en/home/ways-to-pay.shtml|website=www.bayareafastrak.org|publisher=CalTrans|access-date=January 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Invoices and Penalties|url=https://www.bayareafastrak.org/en/help/invoices-and-penalties-faqs.shtml|website=www.bayareafastrak.org|publisher=CalTrans|access-date=January 12, 2025}}</ref>

===Historical toll rates===
Prior to 1969, tolls on the Dumbarton Bridge were collected in both directions. When it opened, the original 1927 span had a toll of $0.40 per car ({{inflation|US|0.40|1927|r=2|fmt=eq}}) plus $0.05 per passenger ({{inflation|US|0.05|1927|r=2|fmt=eq}}). In 1959, tolls were set to $0.35 per car ({{inflation|US|0.35|1959|r=2|fmt=eq}}). It was raised to $0.70 in 1969 ({{inflation|US|0.70|1969|r=2|fmt=eq}}), then $0.75 in 1976 ({{inflation|US|0.75|1976|r=2|fmt=eq}}). The toll per car remained at $0.75 when the replacement bridge opened in 1982 ({{inflation|US|0.75|1982|r=2|fmt=eq}}).<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/documents/tollfees.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040613010500/http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/documents/tollfees.pdf |archive-date=2004-06-13 |url-status=live | title=History of California's Bridge Tolls | publisher=[[California Department of Transportation|Caltrans]] | access-date=June 3, 2018}}</ref>

The basic toll (for automobiles) on the seven state-owned bridges, including the Dumbarton Bridge, was standardized to $1 by Regional Measure 1, approved by Bay Area voters in 1988 ({{inflation|US|1|1988|r=2|fmt=eq}}).<ref>{{cite web |url = http://bata.mtc.ca.gov/projects/rm1.htm |title = Regional Measure 1 Toll Bridge Program |publisher = Bay Area Toll Authority |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101104094253/http://bata.mtc.ca.gov/projects/rm1.htm |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 4, 2010 }}</ref> A $1 seismic retrofit surcharge was added in 1998 by the state legislature, increasing the toll to $2 ({{inflation|US|2|1998|r=2|fmt=eq}}), originally for eight years, but since then extended to December 2037 (AB1171, October 2001).<ref name='AB1171'>{{cite news|first=John |last=Dutra |title=AB 1171 Assembly Bill – Chaptered |date=October 14, 2001 |publisher=[[California State Assembly]] |url=https://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/01-02/bill/asm/ab_1151-1200/ab_1171_bill_20011014_chaptered.html |access-date=August 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315184435/https://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/01-02/bill/asm/ab_1151-1200/ab_1171_bill_20011014_chaptered.html |archive-date=March 15, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> On March 2, 2004, voters approved Regional Measure 2 to fund various transportation improvement projects, raising the toll by another dollar to $3 ({{inflation|US|3.00|2004|r=2|fmt=eq}}). An additional dollar was added to the toll starting January 1, 2007, to cover cost overruns on the [[Eastern span replacement of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge|eastern span replacement of the Bay Bridge]], increasing the toll to $4 ({{inflation|US|4|2007|r=2|fmt=eq}}).<ref>{{cite web |last=Cabanatuan |first=Michael |title=$1 toll hike for bridges approved |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/1-toll-hike-for-bridges-approved-2505984.php |website=sfgate.com | date=January 25, 2006 | access-date=January 2, 2025}}</ref>

The [[Metropolitan Transportation Commission (San Francisco Bay Area)|Metropolitan Transportation Commission]], a regional transportation agency, in its capacity as the [[Bay Area Toll Authority]], administers RM1 and RM2 funds, a significant portion of which are allocated to public transit capital improvements and operating subsidies in the transportation corridors served by the bridges. Caltrans administers the "second dollar" seismic surcharge, and receives some of the MTC-administered funds to perform other maintenance work on the bridges. The Bay Area Toll Authority is made up of appointed officials put in place by various city and county governments, and is not subject to direct voter oversight.<ref>{{cite web|title=About MTC |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Commission |date=October 15, 2009 |url=https://www.mtc.ca.gov/about_mtc/about.htm |access-date=October 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103124604/https://www.mtc.ca.gov/about_mtc/about.htm |archive-date=November 3, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Due to further funding shortages for seismic retrofit projects, the Bay Area Toll Authority again raised tolls on all seven of the state-owned bridges in July 2010. The toll rate for autos on the Dumbarton Bridge was thus increased to $5 ({{inflation|US|5.00|2010|r=2|fmt=eq}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=Frequently Asked Toll Questions |publisher=Bay Area Toll Authority |date=June 1, 2010 |url=https://www.mtc.ca.gov/tolls/faq.htm#2 |access-date=June 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122040153/https://www.mtc.ca.gov/tolls/faq.htm#2 |archive-date=November 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2018, Bay Area voters approved Regional Measure 3 to further raise the tolls on all seven of the state-owned bridges to fund $4.5 billion worth of transportation improvements in the area.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/3-hike-to-Bay-Area-tolls-appears-to-have-support-12972027.php | title=Regional Measure 3: Work on transportation improvements could start next year | first=Michael | last=Cabanatuan | newspaper=SFGate.com | date=June 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.ktvu.com/news/bay-area-bridge-tolls-to-increase-one-dollar-in-january-except-golden-gate | title=Bay Area bridge tolls to increase one dollar in January, except Golden Gate | first=Christien | last=Kafton | publisher=KTVU | date=November 28, 2018}}</ref> Under the passed measure, the toll rate for autos on the Dumbarton Bridge was increased to $6 on January 1, 2019; to $7 on January 1, 2022; and then to $8 on January 1, 2025.<ref>{{Cite press release | url=https://mtc.ca.gov/whats-happening/news/tolls-seven-bay-area-bridges-set-rise-next-month | title=Tolls on Seven Bay Area Bridges Set to Rise Next Month | publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Commission | date=December 11, 2018 | access-date=December 16, 2018}}</ref>

In September 2019, the MTC approved a $4 million plan to eliminate toll takers and convert all seven of the state-owned bridges to [[all-electronic tolling]], citing that 80 percent of drivers are now using Fastrak and the change would improve traffic flow.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article234765937.html | title=Do you drive to the Bay Area? A big change is coming to toll booths at the bridges | first=Darrell | last=Smith | newspaper=The Sacramento Bee | date=September 7, 2019 | access-date=April 12, 2020}}</ref> On March 20, 2020, accelerated by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], all-electronic tolling was placed in effect for all seven state-owned toll bridges.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mtc.ca.gov/whats-happening/news/cash-toll-collection-suspended-bay-area-bridges|title=Cash Toll Collection Suspended at Bay Area Bridges|date=March 20, 2020|website=Metropolitan Transportation Commission|language=en|access-date=March 20, 2020}}</ref> The MTC then installed new systems at all seven bridges to make them permanently cashless by the start of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mtc.ca.gov/news/new-year-brings-new-toll-collection-system-bay-area-bridges|title=New Year Brings New Toll Collection System to Bay Area Bridges|date=December 28, 2020|website=Metropolitan Transportation Commission|language=en|access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref> In April 2022, the Bay Area Toll Authority announced plans to remove all remaining unused toll booths and create an open-road tolling system which functions at highway speeds.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Cabanatuan |first1=Michael |title=Bay Area toll collectors are gone, so what happens to the tollbooths? Here's the $77 million answer |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-toll-collectors-vanished-when-COVID-hit-17068234.php |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=12 April 2022 |date=10 April 2022}}</ref>

The Bay Area Toll Authority then approved a plan in December 2024 to implement 50-cent annual toll increases on all seven state-owned bridges between 2026 and 2030 to help pay for bridge maintenance. The standard toll rate for autos will thus rise to $8.50 on January 1, 2026; $9 in 2027; $9.50 in 2028; $10 in 2029; and then to $10.50 in 2030. And becoming effective in 2027, a 25-cent surcharge will be added to any toll charged to a license plate account, and a 50-cent surcharge added to a toll violation invoice, due to the added cost of processing these payment methods. The carpool lane rules will also be standardized across the toll bridges in 2026, with a minimum of three people required to qualify for the discount.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://mtc.ca.gov/news/toll-authority-approves-2026-toll-hike-carpool-policy-changes | title=Toll Authority Approves 2026 Toll Hike, Carpool Policy Changes | publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Commission | date=December 18, 2024 | access-date=January 2, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Vaziri |first=Aidin |title=Bay Area bridge tolls to rise by up to $4.50 over the next five years |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/bay-area-bridge-toll-hikes-19990879.php |publisher=San Francisco Chronicle | date=December 19, 2024 | access-date=January 2, 2025}}</ref>