Politics & Government

No Border Toll Between San Francisco and San Mateo County

The San Francisco County Transportation Authority dropped the proposal for a border toll in its congestion pricing plan at its meeting Tuesday.

San Francisco has dropped plans to study implementing a rush hour toll on drivers traveling in and out of the city from San Mateo County.

The San Francisco County Transportation Authority amended its plan to further study congestion pricing by removing the border toll option at its meeting Tuesday.  This means that San Mateo County residents won't have to worry about paying a proposed $3 toll for crossing in or out of San Francisco between the hours of 6:30am and 9:30am and 3:30pm and 6:30pm.

San Francisco will continue to study other congestion pricing plans, including charging drivers to enter and exit a downtown zone during certain hours.

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City leaders in San Mateo County had threatened to protest by enacting a $12 counter-toll on drivers traveling in and out of the Peninsula.  Assemblymember Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, asked commissioners to remove the border toll option in testimony before the Transportation Authority.

"It would create a border war with jurisdictions to the south," Hill said.  "Congestion is a regional issue, and a regional solution is needed for it."

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Congestion pricing is a system that has been implemented in European cities like London and Stockholm to reduce traffic gridlock and make center city areas more friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists.  San Francisco plans to use funds generated by congestion pricing to fund public transit improvements.

Hill was prepared to introduce legislation in the state legislature blocking a toll between San Francisco and San Mateo County, which, if finally approved, would have taken effect in 2015.  Hill said that San Francisco hadn't properly engaged with its neighbors over the proposed toll.

"It hasn't been a conversation with San Mateo County," Hill told the commissioners.  "It has been a monologue with San Mateo County."


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