Home California Bay Area Toll Authority Set to Vote to Place Regional Measure 3 on June Ballot

Bay Area Toll Authority Set to Vote to Place Regional Measure 3 on June Ballot

by ECT

On Wednesday, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) is set to vote to place Regional Measure 3 (RM3) onto the June 2018 ballot.

If approved by a majority of voters in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma counties, revenues from a toll increase of up to $3 would be used to finance a $4.45 billion slate of highway and transit improvements in the toll bridge corridors and their approach routes.

Here is their latest press release:


East Bay— On Wednesday, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) is set to vote to place Regional Measure 3 (RM3) onto the June 2018 ballot.

RM3 constitutes a series of transit improvement projects set to improve the East Bay area – spanning AC Transit rapid bus corridor improvements, Interstate 680, Interstate 80, BART Expansion, the Capital Corridor rail connection, transit center, and corridor improvements, among other projects. These major RM3 projects are valuable, urgently needed investments in traffic relief.

Under the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) umbrella and governed by the Commission, BATA is responsible for funding the toll bridges’ operations, maintenance, administration, and the long-term capital improvement and rehabilitation of the bridges. A coalition including the Bay Area Council, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and SPUR is driving these RM3 projects and progress in traffic relief in East Bay communities and throughout the greater Bay Area.

“We applaud and encourage the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s ongoing efforts to place RM3 on the June ballot. Traffic doesn’t respect city or county boundaries. It’s a regional problem requiring regional solutions. That’s why we’re excited that Bay Area residents will have an opportunity to vote for RM3, a measure funding large transportation improvements that will reduce traffic and expand transit choices along the most congested corridors in our region,” said Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino, who’s also a member of the CA Transportation Commission.

RM3 was developed to help solve the Bay Area’s growing congestion problems and to provide residents with a better quality of life as a result. By increasing tolls on the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges, RM3 will fund crucial traffic relief projects in the East Bay along with the greater Bay Area.

“Bay Area commuters battling record traffic are desperate for big investments in our transportation system that will bring meaningful relief,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “Regional Measure 3 will invest $4.5 billion to clear highway bottlenecks, expand and modernize BART, bus and ferry transit services, and dramatically improve connections between buses, trains and bikes. With the leadership of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to place RM3 on the June ballot, voters will have the power to put traffic in our rearview mirror.”

RM3 is a dynamic opportunity for commuters in the East Bay to achieve necessary traffic relief. Commuters will be able to impact their traffic relief and transportation future by saying ‘Yes’ on RM3 to tackle congestion.

RM3 will enable these crucial projects in the East Bay:

  • BART Expansion Cars
  • BART to San Jose
  • Interstate 680/State Route 84 Interchange Reconstruction
  • Interstate 680 Transit Improvements
  • Interstate 680/Interstate 880/Route 262 Freeway Connector
  • Bay Area Corridor Express Lanes
  • Bay Bridge Corridor Transit Improvements
  • Transbay Rail Crossing
  • AC Transit Rapid Bus Corridor Improvements
  • Next-Generation Clipper Transit Fare Payment System
  • Expanded Regional Express Bus Service
  • Improving Bike and Pedestrian Access to Transit
  • Dumbarton Bridge Improvements
  • Capitol Corridor Rail Upgrades
  • Major Ferry Enhancement Program
  • State Route 92 Improvements
  • Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access (Contra Costa approach)
  • Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access (Marin approach)
  • Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
  • Byron Highway-Vasco Road Airport Connector
  • Capitol Corridor Rail Upgrades
  • Contra Costa Interstate 680/State Route 4 Interchange Improvements
  • East Contra Costa County Transit Intermodal Station
  • Goods Movement and Mitigation
  • Interstate 80 Westbound Truck Scales
  • Interstate 80 Transit Improvements
  • Tri-Valley Transit Access Improvements
  • Vasco Road Safety Improvements

The Bay Area has struggled with overloaded highways, rundown roads, and overcrowded transit services, and has lacked the resources to restore its rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. Better roadway access and more reliable transportation options are impactful changes that will become a reality when East Bay constituents have the opportunity to support their communities with the passage of RM3.

“Thanks to the MTC’s commitment to solving the Bay Area’s growing congestion problems and its work with the state legislature to authorize RM3, we now have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of transportation and infrastructure in the Bay Area,” reiterated SPUR President and CEO Gabriel Metcalf. “The revenues from the proposed toll increase will be used to finance significant improvements for our region and communities.”

The Bay Area Council, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and SPUR are supporting RM3 and are actively engaged with communities across the nine-county region to win the majority vote needed to pass it.

BATA’s and MTC’s vote to place RM3 on the June 2018 ballot is an important step towards ensuring a better transportation infrastructure future. RM3 will bring promising transportation infrastructure improvements to the East Bay, making the East Bay a better place to live, work, and do business.

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7 comments

Aaron Jan 24, 2018 - 9:37 am

NO MORE TAXES OR HIGHER FEES please

John Jan 24, 2018 - 2:07 pm

No new toll increases. Live within your budget, on yea in CA that means increase taxes, then do it again in 2 years, then again 2 years later. We have been paying these taxes and tolls for years that they keep funneling into other projects, STOP THIS TAX INCREASE NOW!!!!

American Jan 24, 2018 - 2:11 pm

Enough with more taxes. Trump just gave us a little relief and the local politicians throw out another tax increase. Where is that ballot register to rescind the gas tax? I want to sign it.

Tax tax tax Jan 24, 2018 - 5:33 pm

Ohhh dont you worry CA is going to drive alllllll of these big businesses out of this state because they think since companies got a tax break they can jack up their state taxes. Hey why not its free money. Then when all of these corporations leave WE end up flipping the bill Time vote out all of these out of touch politicians

No more Jan 25, 2018 - 5:12 pm

Like Apple not paying over $80 billion in taxes? Yea good luck thinking every corporation pays its fair share of taxes.

Rain man Jan 25, 2018 - 9:01 am

No, no and hell no!

Aldrich Jan 26, 2018 - 1:14 pm

Vote no! There is inequality at the regional level, per #13 (Page 3) the RM3 FAQ (https://mtc.ca.gov/sites/default/files/RM%203%20FAQ_1.24.18.pdf) the RICH Santa Clara County get 15% of the benefits but only make up 2% of the Toll Bridge Trips.

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