The Death of Casual Carpool: $2.50 on the Bay Bridge

The free rides across the Bay Bridge during rush hours for those who have three or more passengers in their vehicle ends on July 1, 2010.

The Bay Area Toll Authority approved a hike on the Bay Area bridges for all regular can go up to $6, and carpools now will pay $2.50. Really? $2.50?

Here's why charging carpools is so stupid:

1. The need for tolltakers in the booths, and why should the tolltakers handle quarters? It will also slow down the smooth traffic.
   
2. Requiring Fastrak? That'll be a pain in the ass to regulate. Not every commuter uses Fastrak and waits in line at the plaza to pay their toll.
   
3. The death of casual carpool is the worst problem because it's been tradition that carpooling is always FREE and slugs are NEVER supposed to give money to the driver for a faster commute.

I thought San Francisco was going to hell with the bad Muni service, but toll hikes? Screw you BATA.

Bay Bridge reopened at 6:30AM Tuesday

Good morning!

Thanks to the hard working folks of CC Meyers, the Bay Bridge reopened at 6:30AM today.

What a relief!

That also means you can take advantage of the great Giants game bargains for tonight, including $6 game tickets for the upper deck (no, not the crappy seats).

Ouch, Bay Bridge will not re-open in time

Well folks, the word is the Bay Bridge won't open at 5AM on Tuesday, so that means... get ready for insanity. People planned early for the Friday closure and was able to get time off, but don't expect your boss to give the OK a second time. Lucky me, my butt is furloughed tomorrow, but I'll have to take the brunt of the Giants game with fighting for an afternoon parking space in a lot.

Isn't it strange that just a month ago, BART unions threatened to strike during Labor Day Weekend, and now they are the heroes for transporting people to and from work during this extended closure?

Let's learn about the alternatives to getting around:

1. The other bridges can take the brunt, but get ready for traffic hell.
2. BART will not run 24-hour service, so if you miss the last train, you are screwed. They will run all the trains in their stock to make-up for the massive crowds.
3. The Alameda/Oakland ferry is running half-hour service and will still do the Giants ballgame service.
   
4. Golden Gate Ferry will add one extra departure at 7:30 at Larkspur using their slower Spaulding boat. They will do a Giants game trip.
   
5. Golden Gate Transit will NOT add additional buses (assholes!).
6. Baylink (Vallejo) ferry will NOT have Giants ballgame ferry service. An extra boat will be running to transport people.

For a summary of all expanded (and not so expanded) services, visit here.

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Giants fans, Tuesday's evening game is going to suck...

• BART and Muni is your best bet, but you'll get jammed with the commuters trying to get home.
• Ferries is a good idea, but the only one I can find right now is Golden Gate. Baylink WILL NOT have service.
• If you live locally, how about getting a parking permit? Check on Stubhub for those.

Tickets are going for cheap for Tuesday's game: Use code "GIANTSK" at the Giants website and get...

• $43 Club Outfield tickets.
• $29 Club Left Field
• $23 Lower Box
• $6 View (Upper) Reserved

Dang... I got sucker punched because I got $20 upper box tickets.

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Lastly, if you are going to the Giants-Dodgers game on Friday, you can get $25 upper reserved tickets instead of paying $32 with code "CAIN."

BREAKING: Bay Bridge may open LATE

Late night breaking news folks, during the closure of the Bay Bridge to move the temporary structure into place, bridge inspectors found a huge crack in the eastern span of the bridge.

SFgate reports the crack is two inches thick and halfway through the eye bar (not i-beam). With this problem happening, it is possible that the Bay Bridge may not reopen on-time on Tuesday.

While a possible delay of reopening the bridge might suck, let's think of the brighter side of this situation:

• Without the inspection crew doing a thorough job, this problem could have turned worse if they permitted traffic to run through and the bridge had collapsed.
• More people are taking public transit to get around town, this helps the transit agencies with record low budget deficits.
• Also, taking public transit relieves the traffic pressures and pollution.

Sigh...