SEATTLE — Traffic on the State Route 520 Bridge is free-flowing during peak commute times for the first time in decades and revenue tolling is ahead of forecasts – but toll increases are still set to go up as scheduled July 1, the Washington State Department of Transportation said Friday.
The increases are part of a long-term plan to raise funds for the new SR 520 Bridge.
“Despite forecasts trending ahead in both traffic and revenue, rate increases are necessary to stay on track with the finance plan to raise $1 billion for a new SR 520 Bridge,” the agency said in a news release.
Next month’s isn’t the only rate increase commuters will see. Tolls are set to go up 2.5 percent per year between now and 2015 (four times total).
“We are headed in the right direction, and it’s looking like our careful planning is already producing positive outcomes,” WSDOT tolling director Craig Stone stated in the release. “That said, this is the six-month mark of a 30-year plan. It’s more important now than ever before that we stay the course.”
The July 1 increase means that the current peak rate for drivers with a Good To Go! pass will go from $3.50 to $3.59 each way, while the peak pay-by-mail rate of $5 will increase to $5.13 each way. (For a look at how rates will change over an entire day, visit WSDOT's website.)
The bridge is still free to cross overnight between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.