Gas prices are killing us, and you thought the $5 bridge toll to go over the Golden Gate Bridge was high enough; think again. The Golden Gate Bridge District is about to try and raise the toll, not once, but twice. So not only will people coming from Marin County have to pay an additional $1 to cross the Golden Gate, but if they do so during what they are calling peak hours in the morning and afternoon commutes, there will be an additional charge of $1! This is their way to get a double increase without calling it so.

The San Francisco Chronicle has a story from today that explains it better than I can. But what the geniuses at the bridge district didn’t take into account… afternoon traffic is LEAVING the City… and that is the FREE direction! So is this toll to pay for the extra wear and tear on the bridge? I don’t think so, and this plan proves it. Once they realize that they are not getting nearly enough in revenue from the afternoon traffic, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see another toll increase. After all, those Bridge District Supervisors (who make an awful lot of money already) need those raises!

The photo above was taken by a talented photographer, Garry Heather, from his flickr photo album.

- Mick Orton

A reader asks: If you live in Marin county, is there a monthly pass to get across the Golden Gate Bridge, or do you pay 5 dollars a day everyday?

Our reply: No, there are no monthly passes for the Golden Gate Bridge which connects Marin County to San Francisco. And the days of buying booklets of discounted bridge “tickets” have gone away with the new FasTrak system. It is $5 to cross the bridge at the time of this writing but costs only $4 with FasTrak.

By putting a credit card on file with the district, you receive a transponder to put in your car’s window. Then your card is charged in $40 increments, and $4 is deducted every time you cross the Golden Gate Bridge. This transponder now also works for all 8 of the Bay Area bridges including the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge, and the Carquinez Bridge which connects Napa County to Contra Costa County.

- Janis Stone and Mick Orton