Golden Gate Bridge barrier leads to rampant speeding, new rules

Morning traffic passes by the new Golden Gate Bridge barrier this month. Morning traffic passes by the new Golden Gate Bridge barrier this month. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close Golden Gate Bridge barrier leads to rampant speeding, new rules 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

If you see the new safety barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge as a ticket to drive faster than ever, then a different sort of ticket might be in your future.

The California Highway Patrol announced Thursday that it is stepping up enforcement of speed limits on the Waldo Grade in Marin as well as at the bridge and toll plaza. The reason is that in the days since the more secure movable median barrier was installed, the average speed of drivers on the approach from the north has jumped even though the speed limit was lowered from 55 to 45 miles per hour.

“We’re really seeing unreasonable speeds on the bridge, much faster than before,” said Priya David Clemens, a representative for the Golden Gate Bridge District. For whatever reason, including the possibility that drivers feel safer knowing a car won’t come barreling at them from the opposite direction, “we’ve noticed speeds going up,” Clemens said. “That’s why we asked the CHP to help us.”

One car early Thursday was tracked going 81 mph, Clemens said. Others rolled past the automated toll booths at twice the 25 mph limit. An uptick in minor accidents has been seen at the toll booths, she said, though exact numbers are unavailable.

Also unavailable: the precise details of when and how the extra CHP enforcement teams will be deployed. No surprise there.