Cash toll temporarily suspended on most Bay Area bridges due to coronavirus outbreak
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SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - California temporarily suspended cash toll collection at it's seven state-owned toll bridges as the coronavirus pandemic escalates.
The decision was made at the request of Gov. Newsom, Caltrans, and the Bay Area Toll Authority to reduce the risk of coronavirus exposure for toll-workers and customers who pay to cross the bridges.
The temporary suspension of cash toll collection will affect drivers who cross the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay or San Mateo-Hayward bridges.
The Golden Gate Bridge adopted all-electronic tolling in 2013.
Beginning Saturday at midnight all toll booths along Bay Area bridges will be unstaffed.
Drivers who normally stop at a toll booth to pay cash should continue through the toll plaza without stopping.
Automated, high-speed cameras will capture images of customers’ license plates, and the FasTrak customer service center will process the images and then mail a toll notice to the address at which the vehicle is registered with the DMV.
The notices will include a heading that reads “Toll Violation Notice,” however those transactions will not be considered violations and the amount due on each notice will be for the toll amount only.
The FasTrak customer service center will waive all toll violation penalties during the period in which cash toll collection is suspended, and also will suspend the escalation of penalties for previous unpaid toll crossings.
Officials are monitoring the coronavirus outbreak and resume cash toll collection along Bay Area bridges based on recommendations from public health experts.