The Richmond–San Rafael Bridge is entering a new era of tolling.
The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) announced that pre-construction work for a full conversion to “open-road tolling” (ORT) begins this week, weather permitting.
When construction is fully underway, drivers can expect overnight westbound lane closures, with full overnight closures expected for the gantry installation (dates to be determined).
This marks the first ORT conversion among the seven BATA-managed bridges. When the structure is built, vehicles will no longer need to slow for toll booths. Instead, overhead equipment will automatically detect FasTrak tags or license-plate accounts as drivers pass under at freeway speeds.
The upgrade will involve removal of the existing toll booths (inactive since 2020), installation of gantries, and re-striping of lanes so traffic can flow smoothly without merger disruptions.
Current toll payments already rely on electronic collection: westbound drivers pay $8 using FasTrak or license-plate billing; carpool-eligible vehicles may receive a discount during weekday peak hours. Tolls are set to increase as part of a five-year plan starting Jan. 1.
The shift to ORT is expected to improve commute times, ease congestion at the toll plaza, and enhance safety by eliminating stop-and-start merges. BATA’s plan envisions rolling out similar conversions on all seven state-owned Bay Area bridges between 2026 and 2028.
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