The San Francisco Bay Bridge is one of the most profitable in the world and here is why

The San Francisco Bay Bridge (officially the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge) stands among the most profitable toll bridges in the world.

This is not because of luxury or tourism, but because millions rely on it every single week.

Linking two of California’s most vital economic centers, the bridge serves as a daily lifeline for commuters, freight, and emergency services alike.

It’s one of the most important transportation links in the region, even though it might be a little pricey.

SBX CARS – View live supercar auctions powered by Supercar Blondie

The Bay Bridge is one of the most profitable toll bridges in the world

Each year, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge pulls in staggering sums from tolls.

In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the bridge brought in more than $891 million in tolls, according to the Bay Area Toll Authority.

That puts it in elite company with New York’s George Washington Bridge, which brought in about $899 million in 2023.

On average, the San Francisco Bay Bridge receives around $2.44 million in tolls per day.

With that much money, you can buy yourself a Bugatti Veyron daily, with enough left over to pay for $25,000 oil changes.

Tolls will continue to be raised

So where does all that money go?

The bridge isn’t a profit machine in the corporate sense.

Instead, toll revenue funds maintenance, seismic retrofits, operational costs, and debt repayments across all seven state-owned Bay Area bridges.

Future toll hikes, already approved for the coming decade, are earmarked for safety projects and preservation work.

These are crucial investments for a structure that bears the weight of over 260,000 vehicles a day.

And while the $8 toll amount for most standard vehicles may seem high, it’s about to get worse.

Starting January 2026, tolls on all state bridges will be raised by 50 cents annually for five years.

This means that crossing the Bay Bridge will cost you $10.50 a pop by 2030.

Maybe spending $10 to ride in a 1,300 horsepower Toyota Supra may be a better use of money instead.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie