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MARIN COUNTY (KTVU) -- It's no surprise to see slow traffic in the Bay Area as drivers line up to get into San Francisco or commute into the Silicon Valley.
But drivers who are traveling into Marin County are also hitting gridlock, which is raising concern since the area is largely residential.
Drivers who work in Marin, employed in different sectors from construction to childcare, can't afford to live there, and have to drive in.
The influx of traffic means the Richmond Bridge commute and other commutes into the county can face lengthy delays.
"Prices are getting so high both in the rentals and in housing that it's impossible to make ends meet under a certain income level," said realtor Lou La Gatta.
In pricey Marin County, real estate experts say prices are up 25-30 percent since 2007.
"When you're talking the median price being $1.1 million, when you're talking average rents for a two-bedroom being $2,800, try to do that working at the mall or wherever these jobs are," La Gatta said. "Underneath a very high level job, you simply can't afford it."
Since 2007, the price of a two-bedroom apartment in San Rafael has gone up from an average of $2,575 to $3,940 in 2015, housing data shows.
Diana Smith works in childcare.
"I lived out in Novato for 30 years and the cost of living went way up so we ended up moving to Suisun," said Smith, who has a 45-mile commute to work.
Don Schect says he relocated his construction business across the bridge in large part because it was more affordable.
"Just running out of space in Marin that's affordable to have some type of construction yard," he said.
Now his trucks are on the bridge in slow traffic like everyone else.
The slow traffic is also keeping people from spending money in businesses anywhere near the Richmond Bridge. Merchants at the Marin Country Mart in Larkspur have noticed the drop-off:
Real estate experts say while prices may stabilize or even come down a little it's unlikely to be enough to allow workers to live closer to their jobs.
By KTVU Traffic Anchor Sal Castaneda.