Project Background
The District is in the process of designing a new toll collection system to keep up with California state standards and technological improvements in tolling.
Our current all-electronic tolling system uses collection equipment installed in 2005. The system is now antiquated and must be replaced. As the replacement toll equipment can’t be accommodated in the current toll booths, District engineers are in the process of designing a new structure to house the equipment.
This new structure, called a gantry, will be located south of the current toll plaza, near the bus stop, on the southbound side of the roadway. It will stretch over the roadway and drivers will pass underneath it. (See map below.) This design provides safety benefits to both drivers and workers, as maintenance will be done above the roadway, eliminating lane closures. The new gantry is being carefully designed with consideration of the existing architectural heritage of the Golden Gate Bridge as well as modern design opportunities.
The current toll booths are not being removed as part of this project. They will remain in place to provide redundancy in the system as we begin operating with the new gantry. A separate, more complex planning process may be implemented for a future toll plaza modernization project, in which the removal of the current toll booths could be proposed.
The District received public input on the design from architecture groups and interested individuals through small group meetings, social media posts, and input sent to our customer service center. After considering the input, the District Board of Directors selected the "Bridge Light" design at their regularly scheduled meeting on Friday, April 27, 2018, following a recommendation from the Building and Operating Committee. The vote was unanimous.
There were three architectural styles under consideration. The chosen 'Bridge Light' style mirrors the curved bend of the lighting elements on the Bridge and on Presidio Parkway. High resolution images can be downloaded by clicking on the image.
Bridge Light Style - Northbound View
Bridge Light Style - Southbound View
Regardless of future toll plaza changes, the beloved art deco clock will always have a place of honor at the Bridge.
Construction of the new toll gantry construction is expected to begin in 2024.
Map of New Toll Gantry Location, Next to Existing Toll Plaza:
