Tolls and traffic on the rise in I-680 express lanes

Q Usually the tolls are $2 to $5 on the Interstate 680 express lanes from Crow Canyon to Livorna during the afternoon. One day last week it was $8! Traffic was no different than usual. What’s next $10 or $20? It’s outrageous! — Ellen Eisenberg, Martinez

A

Get used to it. Now that the 680 lanes have been open a few months and the holidays are over, traffic has started to grow and higher tolls are needed to keep traffic from falling below 45 mph in the express lane as required by federal law. As expected, recent tolls on the I-680 Contra Costa express lanes northbound in the evening are getting closer to those on I-580 and on the I-680 Sunol express lanes, although they are still lower. Tolls there regularly hit $9 or higher.

Q

Isn’t the big hangup on widening Highway 37 due to the road running through the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge and otherwise protected tidal wetlands from the Napa River Bridge to the east of Sears Point? — N.S. A Yes, that is the big reason why. To keep the 44,000 vehicles moving and protect the tidal marshes could cost $1 billion at a minimum and $4.3 billion to build a causeway, like the San Mateo Bridge. Until then, expect more flooding and heavier traffic.

Q

My sympathies to Mike Trimble for his median accident on Doolittle Drive in San Leandro. I had the same experience of hitting the poorly lit and unmarked median divider in 2016. Damage to my low mileage 2007 Toyota was almost $10,000 and the car was totaled by the insurance company. — Renee Harper, San Leandro

A

Ouch — $10,000. Maybe Mike got off easy. He popped a tire, bent the wheel beyond repair and damaged some other parts, to the tune of over $800.

Q

Is there any possibility the end portion of Willow Pass Road in Concord leading from the naval weapons station to Highway 4 will be resurfaced anytime soon? It’s highly traveled and been patched so many times that to drive on it feels like you’re on a bumpy dirt road. — Wendy Brose

A

It will likely be repaved, but not immediately. This segment of Willow Pass Road is expected to be completely reconstructed as part of the development of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station, so to spend money to repave Willow, which will subsequently be torn out, isn’t prudent at this time.

For now, the city will make pothole repairs and do other patch jobs. The city also will release its paving priorities over the next five years in March, so stay tuned.