Toll Authority Approves $5.25M for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access
Authority Board • Bay Area Toll AuthorityOctober 28, 2026
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The Bay Area Toll Authority took about six minutes on Oct. 28, 2026, to approve $5.25 million in Regional Measure 3 money for access improvements at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The allocation passed on the consent calendar by a unanimous roll call, with no board discussion. A lone public commenter raised a tension the board did not address: bridges earn more when traffic grows, but heavier traffic means more congestion.
- $5.25M RM3 allocation for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge access improvements approved without debate
- Consent calendar passes 12-0, with five voting members absent
- Public commenter flags toll-revenue-versus-congestion trade-off across the regional bridge network
$5.25M Bridge Access Money Clears on Consent
The basics: BATA Resolution No. 196 is a sponsoring agency resolution of project compliance and allocation request. It directs $5,250,000 in Regional Measure 3 (RM3) funds to Richmond-San Rafael Bridge access improvements.
Why it matters: This was the meeting's only spending action. It moves regional toll-funded dollars toward access work at one of the Bay Area's seven state-owned bridges.
Where things stand: Chair Sue Noack asked for questions or comments on items 5a and 5b and received none. Commissioner Gina Papan moved approval, and Commissioner Margaret Abe-Koga seconded. The clerk reported no written public comment and no raised hands.
The item drew no staff presentation and no questions from commissioners. The agenda title is the only public description of the request. Readers looking for project scope, schedule or contractor details will need the staff report, because none of it surfaced at the dais.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The board approved the allocation together with the June 24, 2026 minutes in one roll-call vote. The clerk announced that the motion passed unanimously among members present.
- For (12): Chair Noack, Vice Chair Stephanie Moulton-Peters, and Commissioners Abe-Koga, Eddie H. Ahn, Candace Andersen, Pat Burt, Noelia Corzo, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Victoria Fleming, Alicia John-Baptiste, Papan and Belia Ramos
- Against: 0
- Absent (5): Commissioners Lee, Mahan, Manfree, Mashburn and Miley
Commissioner Melgar was called during the roll, but no vote was clearly recorded. Nonvoting members Nguyen and Schaaf were also absent.
Drivers who use the Richmond-San Rafael corridor stand to benefit once the improvements move forward. So do the North Bay and East Bay jurisdictions at either end of the bridge. With no public debate, any questions about how the project will be delivered remain open.
What's next: No implementation dates were announced. Residents with questions about the project can raise them during public comment at the next meeting.
Commuter Raises Revenue-Versus-Congestion Dilemma
Why it matters: The only public commenter named a core tension in toll policy. Traffic volume pays for the bridge system, but the same volume can undercut congestion relief and transit goals.
Where things stand: Public commenter Alita Dupree said she still uses the bridges occasionally. She described the Bay Bridge as part of a larger, interconnected ecosystem of all seven bridges. She said a Caltrans shutdown of Highway 101 affected her own travel decisions.
Dupree then laid out the trade-off as she saw it. "The more cars and trucks, etc., that we have coming over our bridges, the more revenue we take in," said Alita Dupree, public commenter. She added that too many vehicles cause congestion, and she said she wants both public transit and bridge use to thrive.
The other side: No commissioner or staff member responded. Public comment rules generally limit board replies to items not on the agenda.
What's next: Dupree's comment did not lead to any action or follow-up request.
Minor Items
- June 24, 2026 minutes approved on consent alongside the bridge allocation.
- Member compensation: The clerk disclosed that each member present is entitled to $100 per meeting, capped at $500 per month per agency, as authorized by state law.
- Chair's Report: "I have nothing to report," said Chair Sue Noack.
Looking Ahead
The Bay Area Toll Authority's next regular meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, at 375 Beale Street in San Francisco.