Proposed toll rate increase on SR 520 bridge
Friday, March 22, 2013
The State Transportation Commission wants to hear from drivers about its proposal to increase toll rates on the SR 520 floating bridge. On March 18, the commission proposed an increase of 2.5 percent for all toll rates with a peak weekday Good to Go! rate of $3.70. New rates would go into effect on July 1, 2013. The rate increase would help ensure the facility generates enough revenue to meet financial obligations. The commission is seeking comments about the proposed toll rate.
Changes to 520 are important because every rate hike increases the number of drivers who avoid the toll by driving around the head of the lake and increasing the traffic through Kenmore and Lake Forest Park down Bothell Way.
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The DOT has botched this thing from the beginning, and they seem to be sticking with that approach.
Whether you look at the neighborhood and environmental destruction that has already happened on the east side, or the even more amplified destruction coming to the west side in Seattle,it's difficult to support this monstrosity. They should have just fixed the old bridge instead of going for increased capacity. What happened to "let's get out of our cars" anyway? (you know, that "global warming thing)
If all that wasn't enough, the cost and revenue projections that the bridge project was based on were way off the mark. Yet, everything moved forward.
The simple truth is that many drivers simply can't afford even the current rates added to their monthly expenses. On top of that, drivers have had seemingly endless hassles with the "Good to Go" (what a misnomer!) passes, being overcharged and having difficulty getting those charges corrected.
Also, it turns out the actual bridge parts manufactured so far are defective! That's just great. But the word from DOT is that won't have much impact on cost or scheduling. Sure.
First they want to toll the I-90 bridge to compensate for their own mismanagement. And now they want to raise the 520 tolls because too few people are using the bridge and paying the tolls. It's no wonder.
Personally, I plan to drive around the lake. No way I want to pay for this disaster. And once it's built, doesn't look like it will be safe anyway.
What a mess DOT has made. I can hardly wait to see what's next.
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