Here's what you need to know to start your day In recent months traffic has rebounded to about 80% of its pre-pandemic levels, with revenues still down about $14 million a month.Meanwhile across San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, which switched to all-electronic tolling in 2013, continues to demand prompt payment.And Golden Gate Bridge officials don’t hesitate to put a hold on a vehicle registration renewal when warranted.“We just want people to pay their toll and the majority want to pay,” bridge General Manager Denis J. Mulligan said.Rentschler said the Toll Authority may revisit its kinder, gentler approach later this month when discussions begin on how to make the all-electronic toll system permanent on the bridges.“The options include sending out a reminder or sending a reminder with a notice that we are going to start to re-impose late fees,” Rentschler said.Until then it remains pretty much “pretty please” pay your toll.Only 26% of California Democrats and independents rated their excitement a “10” on a 10-point scale, according to a recent poll by FM3 Research, a Democratic polling firm, and Baughman Merrill, a Democratic direct mail firmAnd 19% said they “were not excited at all” about voting for Biden.But voter antipathy toward President Trump more than made up for the lack of Biden buzz, with 70% of Democrats and independents rating their excitement at the prospect of voting against Trump a 10.“This is true even among those who cast a ballot for Bernie Sanders in the primary,” FM3 pollster David Metz said.Even with the lack of enthusiasm, Biden is beating Trump 55%-30% in California, when lesser presidential candidates are in the mix.“And with Harris on the ticket, she could add some badly needed enthusiasm among some core Democratic voters who are less enthusiastic about Biden,” Metz said.Overall, however, voters appear to be pretty down about the race.When asked in an open-ended question to describe their emotions about the November election, 63% of voters said they were feeling “anxious, nervous, frightened, scared, concerned or worried.”Only 21% of the voters of all stripes said they were “hopeful” about the outcome.The poll was conducted from June 27-July 17, 2020 with an online sample of 1,026 likely voters The margin of error is +/-3.1%.San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays.
The blend of scoops, insights and investigative reporting can be found every Sunday, Monday and Wednesday in the Chronicle.Drivers crossing Bay Area bridges feeling free to skip paying the toll The question is how and when,” Renschler adds.The toll authority board will discuss it’s collection plan later this month.Copyright 2020 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved.
Scofflaws crossing the seven state Bay Area bridges have racked up $16 million in unpaid tolls since the coronavirus pandemic forced toll takers out of their booths and prompted an overnight switch to all-electronic toll collection.“Unpaid tolls are increasing at a rate of about $4 million a month,” Bay Area Toll Authority spokesman Randy Rentschler said.But despite the losses, the Toll Authority has pretty much let the culprits slide.Gov. They have the power to send out warning letters, impose fines and withhold a violator’s auto registration.Since the governor eliminated toll takers and cash payments, tolls are recorded now through Rentschler says the toll authority has been patient with violators, in case they never received their bill in the mail for a variety of reasons, including a recent move to another location.“Look we are going to find a way to collect the tolls. They then get a bill in the mail for the $6 toll.So far, however, only about 65% of those bills have been paid within the allotted 30 days.“The number of unpaid tolls goes up and down as more bills go out and others are paid late,” Rentschler said. - See 54 traveler reviews, 9 candid photos, and great deals for Batheaston, UK, at Tripadvisor. Motorists may open an E-ZPass ® account 24/7 at ezpassmd.com and have their …
This temporary switch to all-electronic tolling will affect drivers who cross the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay or San Mateo-Hayward bridges.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (BCN) - Thunderstorms in the Bay Area forecast could bring lightning strikes overnight, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning for the region starting late Saturday.The storms are expected to develop in the South Bay and Santa Cruz areas Saturday night, and then move northward, according to the weather service.OAKLAND, Calif. (BCN) - Boaters are being warned to stay away from the Oakland Estuary on Saturday, after an estimated 50,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled during a power outage Friday night at the East Bay Municipal Utility District wastewater treatment plant in West Oakland.Signs were posted along the estuary on Saturday morning about the spill and EBMUD was reaching out to rowing clubs and others who frequently use the strait between Oakland and Alameda.SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) - Brace yourself for another hot one!