Toll Express Lanes on Bay Area Freeways: What to Know as Silicon Valley Returns to the Office

While much of Silicon Valley was working from home, some workers were busy making big changes to Highway 101 along the Peninsula. As commuters return to the office, they’ll find the congested two-person carpool lanes have been replaced by toll express lanes. The system aims to make traffic move faster by using the laws of supply and demand. Here’s how to use the 155 miles of freeway express lanes now open throughout the Bay Area, and why Caltrans says they’re effective.

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[MysaviorJesus]

Let me get this straight. The local states ask for tax to fix the roads, then now they will charge us a monthly fee to use the fixed road?

[Paul-kdui]

gives new meaning to the phrase "highway robbery"

[PerfectoKiss]

It is illegal to price gouge. However, when the govt does it, it is tagged supply and demand. Just another form to getting $ from people.

[ProjectN]

Maximum 15.00? Yeah right, I've seen it at 21.00 on the 880 before

[scottb]

Who paid for express lanes to begin with I call bull shit

[JM-pkcj]

Californians need to unite and shut down the toll road system and take back their public roads!

[Popcornbeetle]

Wonder how many crashes all these confusing signs and changing occupancy on the transponder are causing. Too confusing for avg people.

[dpros]

The biggest scam is FasTrak, which charges your card for a $55 reload even when there's already over $20 in your account, with no way to change the reload amount. I'm glad my new work commute doesn't involve the freeway.

[nestorvargas]

Bringing capitalism’s market junk on the road, man I love the Bay Area, can’t see why people are leaving

[AA-llfg]

Taxes payed for those roads and now you want more money ?

[Carlos-iowb]

Classism at it's finest. Roads for the rich!

[medlord]

Lunch in SF: ave 15 bucks
Parking: 24 bucks
Toll lane round trip: ave 22 bucks
Gas: $$$
That’s already over $70+ per day

[woofboy]

@bloomtv for motorcycles you still need to have a FastTrak Flex tag, and chances are it might not work if the radar detector does not pick up your tag. I commute daily on I-880 via motorcycle and have to dispute charges EVERY DAY and get them reversed. The system is not ready for motorcycles. It's a pain

[tixibdu]

This will increase more car accidents collisions because now more drivers will switch lanes compared to previously.

[escoofimpakt]

this has nothing to do with traffic and everything to do with charging

[camcam]

We need a lane just for truck drivers!! Can’t even switch lanes or make it to my exit since lanes are full of tractor trailers!!

[johnguzman]

Don't my taxes already pay for roads and bridges? Are we being retroTaxed to death? What with tolls and these nifty rich roads

[yvonnefarrell]

This is a great idea except for people who are poor and on the margins having trouble affording gas in the first place. The second issue is that people who do not care will simply cover their license plates, to avoid the fines. You see that all over, on luxury cars like Mercedes and BMWs, covered back license plates to shirk the fares.

[brianp]

Not very express if Teslas get in free and everyone has a Tesla.

[dennisbaldini]

the video at the start says if you are in the lane, solo driver you will pay the posted toll.. later he says if you are in the lane and get pulled over it is a 400 fine.. is ok to drive solo if you have fasttrak and just pay the posted amount? still a bit confuing