Commuters who cross Lake Washington on SR-520, the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, understand the value of that commute route. The time saved crossing the lake as compared to crossing at I-90 or SR-522 is immense. These commuters want a safe, well-built bridge on SR-520 and are willing to pay a toll for it.
However, the current costs of the project are being laid at the feet of a small minority of the local citizens who will enjoy its benefits. Commuters on I-90 also receive benefits from the 520 bridge–their commute times decrease significantly when the 520 bridge carries nearly half of the cross-lake daily commute traffic.
The current tolling plan is clearly enticing drivers to switch commute routes to SR-522 and I-90, bogging down commutes on those highways and crowding surface streets in local neighborhoods.
The costs of the 520 bridge should be shared by all who benefit. Let traffic resume its previous patterns. Shorten commute times county-wide, and lessen the burden on a select few. Toll I-90 and SR-520, spread the cost of improvements to all of the beneficiaries of the 520 bridge.
I agree with RICHY.. Let’s get tolls on every bridge crossing, so I can sail across the bridges unencumbered by the commoners.
And toll gates on 405 can be the final move in our master plan (great idea Dave!)… See you on the road, my fellow luxury car owners.
Cheney for President!!
Are you serious? This is not some small toll and will give workers in Seattle no free options for getting directly into the City. They could go around Lake Washington, and pay a lower toll in gas but higher in time.
Perhaps we should toll booths of 405 for those leaving Bellevue? That way we won’t miss out on taxing everyone. This will make it much easier for rich people to get to work but screw the average person.
I’m rich, so lets toll ALL the roads to get poor people off them and lower my commute time.
They will not cut the toll rate. You are living in a fantasy world. The bonding requires they keep and even increase the rates over time. In fact they can’t even drop the tolls on 520 today, even if it meant more revenue.
Probably true, but if I-90 tolling were added, the agreements would likely change.
These are bonds that were sold. You shouldn’t assume that rates are going to drop or can even be re-negotiated. This notion is not supported in any document from any official source that I can find.
[...] the tolling of both the I-90 and the SR-520 bridges. Tolling I-90 is better for: I-90 Commuters SR-520 Commuters Mercer Island residents « Tolling I-90: Better for I-90… Tollling [...]
[...] SR-520 Commuters [...]
I would also love a toll for the 205. I don’t know that it would have much ecffet, but I’d love to see Sandy Blvd. move away from being a virtually freeway to/from downtown for WA commuters.