Here's why removal of 7 Bay Area tollbooths won't happen until 2026

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Caltrans is delaying removal until February of 2026 saying it wants to upgrade the automatic toll collection system and remove the booths at the same time.

"The tollbooths will be removed. New tolling structures will be installed and we will have a whole new toll collection system installed. We are a couple years out, but the work to get there is happening right now," said John Goodwin, Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

The work will start February 2026 with the Richmond - San Rafael Bridge. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission's goal is to have open road tolling.

"You won't need to slow down to squeeze through that toll booth. You will be able to continue down the bridge at 55 or 65 miles an hour traffic willing. It will be a whole new experience," said Goodwin.

This plan has been in the works since 2018.

Luz Pena: "Why has this taken so long?"

John Goodwin: "It's a great question. One is the need to come up with this toll collection and accounting system. The system that we have now is a little over 10 years old."

Bay Area commuters have been waiting for it.

"It will be better that everyone. You just go back and forth without hesitating and stopping, slowing down," said Christian Santana, San Francisco driver.

RELATED: Driver killed after big rig crashes into Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll booth, CHP says

A semi driver was killed after crashing into a toll booth on the westbound lanes of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge near Richmond, the CHP said.

In 2017, a Bay Bridge toll workers was killed after a drunk driver crashed into the booth. During the pandemic human toll collectors were removed.

But the empty booths have also been a hazard.

In October of 2023, a semi-truck crashed into a toll booth on the westbound lanes of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The driver was killed.

MORE: Bay Area Council calls for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll booths to be removed after fatal crash

The Bay Area Council says it is working on a report determining how many upgrades are needed to Richmond-San Rafael Bridge following deadly crash.

"It's safer because I'm not stopping and worried about a car behind me, so it's safer for me," said Ethen Tekce, San Francisco commuter.

According to the Bay Area Toll Authority, the process will take 6-8 months at each location. The Bay Bridge will be the last one in March of 2027.

Commuters like Christian hope the MTC rethink their priority list.

"In the morning especially in the Bay Bridge, it would be way better since a lot of people who come from the East Bay take the Bay Bridge, and those tolls really get you," said Santana.

MORE: Bay Bridge toll worker killed by suspected drunk driver was mother, wife

An East Bay family is grieving the loss of a mother and a wife after she was killed by a suspected drunk driver at the Bay Bridge toll plaza.

But for now, a look into the MTC's plan is for more open-road tolling can be seen on one Bay Area bridge.

"You can actually see the future right now at the Benicia / Martinez Bridge, over the far-left side when that bridge opened in 2007, it opened with open road tolling at the far left side car pool lanes," said Goodwin.

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