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2 toll rate increase proposals for SR 520 bridge will be sent to public for input

Officials plan on raising the tolls for drivers along the bridge on Aug. 15.

SEATTLE — The Washington State Transportation Commission said Wednesday afternoon it is considering two different toll rate changes to the state Route 520 floating bridge that would take effect later this summer. 

The commission said it will push two proposals for toll rate increases along the SR 520 bridge for the public to consider in an online survey from April 17-May 1.

  1. Uniform 10% rate increase for weekdays and weekends
  2. "Tailored" rate increases for weekday and weekends

Shiv Batra, commissioner of the Washington State Transportation Commission, said Wednesday the benefit of a uniform increase would be for simplicity. The benefit of the second proposal, Batra said, is that "tailored" increases would reflect recent travel trends while limiting the increases during peak periods.

The tailored increases would end up averaging 10% overall, similar to the first option. Under this proposal, officials said tolls would range from a 10-cent decrease to an increase of 70 cents during midday periods. 

The 520 bridge between Seattle and Bellevue is tolled both ways. Prices change based on the time of day, with lower rates on nights, weekends and holidays.

Transportation officials plan on adopting the permanent toll rate increases by mid-July and making the changes effective for drivers on Aug. 15. 

Both proposals would help meet Washington's financial goals by 2026, the commission said.

The Washington State Department of Transportation showed the SR 520 bridge generated $17.4 million in toll revenue from October through December 2023, which was $149,000 lower than expected. There are major construction projects underway, including rebuilding the Portage Bay Bridge.

A possible toll increase along SR 520 would continue the trend of more expensive tolls in Washington. 

Toll rates on Interstate 405 and State Route 167 increased on March 1.

The Washington State Transportation Commission voted in late January to raise the rates to limit traffic impacts and raise money for construction. 

Toll rates adjust depending on traffic volume. Rates for I-405 and SR 167 range from a $1 minimum during low-traffic times to $15 during high-traffic times. Evening tolling and peak hour HOV policies will be increased by an hour to 8 p.m. on both roadways.

Washington State Transportation Commission Deputy Director Carl See said in October 2023 that the rate increases were proposed for multiple reasons, including state revenue losses during the COVID-19 pandemic closures and efforts to alleviate traffic congestion. 

See said at the time the increase is largely due to construction funding deficits. 

"The funding issue is tied to the recently awarded projects, the north end expansion from one lane to two lanes on 405 and improvements on 167 on the south," See said last year. "Both those bids ... came in significantly over budget compared to the cost estimates. Nevertheless, the Legislature did give the approval to award the bids with recognizing they're going to need to find a way to fill the gap next session."

Last summer, tolls on the bridge increased to a maximum of $4.50 during peak traffic times in July 2023. Rates for two-axle vehicles increased between 20 cents and $1.10 per trip, depending on the time of day. Peak period hours were extended to the hours of 7-10 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.

The previous tolling increases were after the end of the morning and evening weekday commutes. Rate increase to $4.50 between 9-10 a.m. and 6-7 p.m. and to $3.80 between 10-11 a.m. and 7-8 p.m.

Rates were increased on weekends, but the increases were smaller.

Overall, tolls increased along the SR 520 bridge last year by an average of 15%, according to the Washington State Transportation Commission.

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