New HOV Lanes To Open Next Year

WALNUT CREEK, CA — The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is asking Bay Area residents to learn about, and comment on, regional express lane toll policies during a public comment period that runs through Sept. 9.

This comment period, which began Sunday, will culminate in a "virtual" public hearing as part of MTC's Sept. 23 public meeting schedule.

Commuters and other travelers can learn about MTC's express lane and toll policies on the MTC website and submit comments by email to expresslanes@bayareametro.gov.

When toll operations begin on the new 11-mile Martinez-to-Walnut Creek express lane segment of Interstate Highway 680, there will be a continuous 23-mile southbound express lane running the length of Contra Costa County.

In advance of opening the new 11-mile extension in early 2021, MTC's Bay Area Infrastructure Financing Authority affiliate must adopt rules for how tolling will work.

The Financing Authority proposes to amend its existing Toll Facility Ordinance to set tolling rules for the Martinez-to-Walnut Creek segment identical to those already in place for the existing express lanes in both directions of I-680 between Walnut Creek and San Ramon.

Those rules include:

• Hours of operation - 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) eligibility is two or more persons in the vehicle
• Eligible HOVs with two or more persons would pay no toll, solo drivers would pay the full toll. A minimum toll of $0.50 per toll zone would apply
• Clean air vehicles would pay a half-price toll
• FasTrak transponders will be required for all vehicles, including eligible for reduced tolls
• Toll enforcement would be automated using license plate cameras as on existing Express Lanes. If a vehicle does not have a FasTrak account, a violation notice would be issued by the toll system
• Toll violation penalties would be set equal to those charged by Bay Area Transportation Authority, currently $25 for the first notice and $70 for the second notice

California Highway Patrol would enforce vehicle occupancy requirements, illegal crossing of double white lines and other rules.

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