(CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif.) – Drivers are in for a late-night treat if they think traffic is already bad from East Bay to Marin this weekend. On November 10, 2026, Caltrans will completely close Westbound Interstate 580 (I-580) on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge from 11 p.m. on Saturday, November 14 to 8 a.m. on Sunday, November 15. On the schedule, WB I-580 lane closures begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday; bike paths close at 9 p.m.; and the full Richmond Parkway closure starts at 11 p.m. Nonetheless, Eastbound lanes will remain open during this closure.
The WB I-580 closure would occur to install a new overhead toll gantry system as part of the nascent Bay Area Open Road Tolling (ORT) initiative.
Photo Credit: Open Road Tolling / Caltrans / ca.gov
Caltrans on ca.gov states that the BATA-Caltrans partnered project would remove toll booths so that drivers would no longer need to slow down and stop to pay. Other listed benefits to the public include improved traffic flow, improved safety from traffic curtailment, reduced vehicle idling, less greenhouse gas emissions, and more reliable transport for commuters and freight. Although the toll booths are scheduled to be dismantled in another closure for Spring 2027, prices for tolls have already spiked.
According to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), seven of the eight major Bay Area toll bridges, including Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland, and San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, are set to rise again on January 1, 2027, and continue through 2030.
Photo Credit: Additional Details of the 2026 Toll Increase Policy Changes / Metropolitan Transportation Commission
The Regional Measure 3 (RM) toll increase that went into effect January 1, 2026, will continue to rise by $0.50 through 2030 for HOVs and FasTrak for two- and multi-axle vehicles. A new tiered pricing structure for all vehicles will add an additional $0.25 per pre-registered license plate account transaction starting January 1, 2027, and $1.00 per invoice transaction starting January 1, 2027.
These new prices are designed to nudge drivers towards electronic payment before physical toll plazas dematerialize. But these new prices are also the first time California state-owned Bay Area bridge tolls reach double digits. If one were to commute through any of these routes for standard workdays, they would be paying $200 per month in tolls.
For drivers this weekend, Caltrans recommends using the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (I-80) to State Route 37 as an alternate route.
To keep up with updates on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Closure for ORT, visit: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-projects/d4-richmond-san-rafael-bridge/projects/open-road-tolling.
To learn more about the 2026 Toll Increase, visit https://mtc.ca.gov/about-mtc/authorities/bay-area-toll-authority/2026-toll-increase-high-occupancy-vehicle-hov-policy-updates.
To add or correct any information in this report, please contact me at shreya.d@lead4earth.org.
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