California lawmakers on Thursday will vote on a proposed toll that would require drivers to fork over money in order to drive down San Francisco’s famed Lombard Street.
Leaders behind the effort hope the toll charge, which could range between $5 and $10, would reduce congestion at the popular tourist attraction in the Russian Hill neighborhood.
The state assembly bill proposing motorists reserve a spot and pay a toll before driving down the street passed the Assembly Transportation Committee by an 11-to-3 vote last week, according to the Office of Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco.
Assembly Bill 1065, the Lombard Street Reservation and Pricing System, is eligible to go to a floor vote on the assembly floor at the State Capitol in Sacramento this week, Ting’s spokeswoman Nannette Miranda said.
Ting announced the introduction of the legislation on April 15. It would authorize the city to start implementing the pricing and reservation program at the iconic street, which, according to Ting, attracts more than two million visitors annually.
“In recent years, the crowds and traffic congestion have become a safety issue for that neighborhood,” Ting said in a statement on April 15.
“We must implement a system that enables both residents and visitors to enjoy the ‘crookedest street in the world.'”
A 2017 study conducted by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority found that by managing access to the crooked part of Lombard, located between Leavenworth and Hyde streets, the city could regulate traffic congestion at the entrance and reduce the length of cars in the queue.
According to Ting’s office, the legislation is necessary because existing law forbids a local agency from imposing a tax, permit fee, or other charge for using its streets or highways. If approved, the city would then be responsible for determining how much to charge and how to implement the program.
Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Source: NBC Bay Area
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