Starting Wednesday, tolls for vehicles crossing the Golden Gate Bridge will increase by 50 cents, and fares for Golden Gate ferries and buses will increase by 25 cents.
The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District originally announced the increases in May, noting that they will fund the upkeep of the bridge, keep the ferry and transit buses running, and help address some of the $34 million deficit projected in the next fiscal year.
Discount transit fare programs will continue for Clipper users, seniors, youth, people with disabilities, and low-income riders who participate in the Clipper START program, the district said.
A news release stated that the bridge toll is the district’s primary source of revenue and pays for bridge operations and most ferry and transit bus services.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, bridge traffic, ferry, and transit bus ridership have declined, resulting in a decrease in the district’s revenues.
Bridge traffic and ferry ridership remain 15% lower than pre-pandemic levels, while transit bus ridership is half of what it was before the pandemic.