California State Assembly District 19 issued the following announcement on Feb. 21.
To encourage exercise and bolster environmental benefits, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) has introduced AB 2674, banning the assessment of fees on anyone who walks or bikes across a toll bridge, including the Golden Gate Bridge. With the current ban expiring in January 2021, Ting’s new bill extends the date another ten years.
“We have spent decades promoting active lifestyles to improve our health and carbon-free transportation alternatives to combat our climate crisis. Sidewalk tolls would undo that work,” said Ting. “My bill ensures everyone has free access to bike and walk across California’s iconic bridges, encouraging more people to get out of their cars and enjoy the outdoors.”
Ting authored the original law, AB 40 (2015), prohibiting bridge tolls on pedestrians and bicyclists for five years. At the time, the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District was considering a fee for sidewalk use. As many as 10,000 people and 6,000 bicyclists cross the Golden Gate Bridge each day. The Golden Gate Bridge has been free of charge since 1970 for non-vehicle access – a policy that exemplifies California’s commitment to public recreation, while fostering sustainable ways to move around. AB 2674 protects this legacy not only for the Golden Gate Bridge, but for all toll bridges in the state.
“Bicycling and walking are solutions to many problems we face. State policy should encourage people to walk and bike, not penalize them by charging a fee to use public roads and bridges,” said Dave Snyder, Executive Director of the California Bicycle Coalition.
All eight of California’s toll bridges are located in the Bay Area. Seven of them have bike/pedestrian access:
- Golden Gate Bridge
- San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
- Richmond-San Rafael
- Carquinez Bridge
- Antioch Bridge
- Dumbarton Bridge
- Benicia/Martinez Bridge
Original source can be found here.
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