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OAKLAND – Caltrans plans to equip all lanes of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge with Fastrak lanes this fall, a spokesman announced Thursday.  

Fastrak, an electronic payment system that allows subscribed motorists to prepay bridge tolls, eliminating the need to stop at the toll plaza, is currently installed in six of the 20 toll lanes at the bridge. Soon, all Bay Bridge lanes will be Fastrak friendly, just like all toll lanes at the other six state-owned bridges in the Bay area, according to Caltrans spokesman Colin Jones. Each lane also accepts cash payments, and every bridge also has one "Fastrak-only'' lane. 

Since last fall, Jones says, Caltrans has issued more than 160,000 transponders with new Fastrak applications averaging 2,000 per week. 

To sign up for Fastrak, call (888) 725-8725 or visit the Caltrans  

Web site at www.dot.ca.gov.