New tolls don't gum up Bay Bridge commute

(07-01) 10:27 PDT Oakland -- The dramatic toll changes at Bay Area bridges Thursday created some confusion, and a bit of anger, but failed to snarl or even slow most drivers' commutes, as transportation officials had feared.

In addition to a toll hike to $5 on all state-owned bridges but the Bay Bridge, tolls for carpools on all bridges, including the independently controlled Golden Gate, were charged for the first time, and $6 congestion-based tolls that drop to $4 during non-commute hours were introduced at the Bay Bridge, where they're intended to ease traffic during the busiest times of day.

But it's unclear whether Thursday's relatively free-flowing commute at the Bay Bridge was the result of higher commute-hour tolls or people skipping work to get an early start on their Fourth of July holiday.

"There are a lot of factors at play here," said John Goodwin, spokesman for the Bay Area Toll Authority. "Was it the new toll schedule? Was there a shift to transit? Was there a shift to other bridges? Was it because it's a couple of days before a big holiday weekend and in the middle of summer vacation? There are a bunch of things that only tell us part of the story."

Fewer cars

Traffic figures released Thursday evening showed that on the Bay Bridge, the region's busiest span, traffic was down about 8.3 percent compared with July 1 of last year and down about 9.3 percent compared with July 2 of last year, the Thursday before the Independence Day weekend. It was so light that the bridge's metering lights, which often are turned on as early as 6:15 a.m., were not activated until 7:15. They were turned off before 9 a.m.

There were indications that some drivers might have taken public transit or headed for other bridges. BART's transbay ridership was up by about 5,300 compared with the Thursday before the July 4 weekend last year, but up only 150 over a week ago. While toll figures were not yet available, Goodwin said, there were anecdotal reports of heavier traffic at the San Mateo Bridge.

A number of carpoolers, who apparently missed the message that they need to get FasTrak, tried to stop at the toll plaza and pay. But most moved on quickly when drivers behind them started honking, or they noticed nobody was in the carpool lanes' toll booth. At one point, a Caltrans employee stood next to the lane, waving one arm in a circular motion, and shouting "Keep moving, don't stop."

Other drivers appeared puzzled as they approached the toll plaza. One solo driver stopped in the middle of a lane, several car lengths from the toll booths, drove through the plastic posts serving as lane dividers and into the carpool lane, then stopped and tried to pay her toll at the empty booth.

Carpool drivers at the state-owned bridges who passed through the toll booths without FasTrak had their licenses captured by the system's cameras and will be mailed violation notices. As long as they sign up for FasTrak within 30 days, the $25 fine will be waived, but they will still have to pay the $2.50 carpool toll.

Golden Gate mess

At the Golden Gate Bridge, the first day of attempting to collect a $3 toll on carpools was a mess. According to Mary Currie, bridge spokeswoman, as many as 75 percent of the carpoolers said they weren't aware of the well-publicized carpool toll or the need to get FasTrak. The Golden Gate has no dedicated carpool lanes, so drivers must stop at the toll booth to be counted and charged. To alleviate the confusion, and avoid a backup, bridge officials decided to let carpoolers pay cash Thursday.

Those without FasTrak or cash will receive violation notices, Currie said, but the bridge district is waiving fines for now. How long that will last has not been decided.

People who use the East Bay's popular but informal casual carpools, which thrived when there was no toll, have been mixed about how to handle the $2.50 toll. At Oakland Avenue near the Oakland-Piedmont border, riders waiting in line said they were willing to offer drivers $1 to defray the toll cost.

"I want to be prepared," said Steve Schweigerdt, 39, of Oakland, pulling a $1 bill out of his pants pocket. "I'm willing to offer. I think I'll ask and see what they say. It is their car."

Gayley Moore, 65, who works in human resources, said she was also willing to pay. But this week, she said, someone posted a sign at the pickup point stating that drivers shouldn't charge. The sign was gone Thursday, but several drivers said they had no intention of asking for money.

'Not going to ask'

"For me, saving time is what's important," said Tanya Stolurow, 41, of Piedmont, a manager at Levi-Strauss. "If people want to give, they can give something, but I'm not counting on it, and I'm not going to ask."

For drivers looking ahead to next week, Monday may be a holiday, but congestion tolls - $6 between 5 and 10 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. - will be charged on the Bay Bridge. That will follow the Bay Bridge's first weekend of $5 tolls - the new normal on Saturdays and Sundays.

And Tuesday, when many drivers who stayed away this week return to the Bay Bridge? "That's our next big test," said Goodwin.

E-mail Michael Cabanatuan at mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle