Discussions regarding a potential SANDAG purchase of the road began in October 2010. On July 29, 2011, SANDAG agreed to purchase the lease of the freeway from South Bay Expressway LLC; even though a study suggested that the agency might have to spend millions of dollars to maintain and repair parts of the highway. Objections raised to the purchase during the negotiation phase included needing a loan from the federal government of $1.5 million to complete the purchase, and a possible increase in traffic through Lemon Grove. The sale of the franchise rights until the year 2042 was finalized on December 16, 2011, at a price of $341.4 million, and $10.2 million in additional fees, with $254 million from TransNet sales tax revenue, some of it to be repaid with toll revenue. SANDAG claimed at the time that they would reduce the tolls to attract increased use and decrease traffic on I-805, which would mean that additional lanes would not need to be constructed on that route. Despite this, the operator decided to increase tolls instead even with the low demand for using the road; the "San Diego Union-Tribune" criticized the decision. In mid-2011, it cost $4 to drive the entire toll portion of the road.