SAN FRANCISCO — The California assembly approved a plan to charge motorists for driving on one of San Francisco's most famous streets.
The legislation passed Thursday, if approved in the state Senate and signed by Gov. Newsom, would give city officials the authority to set up a reservation program and impose fees on drivers who seek to twist and turn down Lombard Street.
Assembly bill 1605 was authored by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) who said this will go a long way toward easing the throngs of tourists that gum up the Russian Hill neighborhood around Lombard Street.
"It will be almost like a camera that will read license plates to insure people had a reservation," Ting said.
With two million visitors to the crooked stretch of Lombard Street every year, this could raise more than $10 million annually.
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The city is considering a flexible pricing plan for some of the other destinations that attract tourists as well.
"They have to use the money to manage congestion, to manage vehicles, to manage pedestrians. So it's a very specific purpose what they can use the money for," Ting added.
If the bill gets final approval it will be up to San Francisco transportation officials to set the amount of the toll.
Officials are currently considering a program that would charge tourist more during peak hours when they visit popular visitor destinations like the Japanese Tea Garden and Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park as well as Coit Tower.