Update:

Tolls on the 520 bridge start Dec. 29
Posted by Mike Lindblom on December 7, 2011 at 10:37 AM

Drivers on the old Highway 520 floating bridge will begin to pay tolls at 5 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29, the Washington State Department of Transportation just announced.

Tolls will vary so they will be highest at busy times of day, peaking at $3.50 each way during morning and afternoon peak commute hours. Motorists who lack the “Good to Go” debit account, available at goodtogo.org, will be billed by mail and charged an extra $1.50 handling fee. There are no toll booths to pay cash on Highway 520.

Tolls are supposed to support up to $1 billion in bond debt toward the $4.65 billion, six-lane crossing between I-5 and I-405, replacing the 1963-vintage bridge that is at risk of sinking in a severe windstorm.

The transportation department initially hoped to begin tolling in late 2010, then announced an April 2011 startup. But the launch was delayed even more, mainly due to technical glitches that contractors faced creating the elaborate tracking and billing systems.



http://today.seattletimes.com/2011/1...-start-dec-29/

Just a friendly reminder to the locals... I knew there was a reason I moved to Ballard. And it wasnt to be next to all those farking aging hippies and yuppy hipsters.


Hwy. 520 bridge tolls to start this month
Posted by Mike Lindblom on December 1, 2011 at 9:18 PM
Tolling on the Highway 520 floating bridge will start late this month, but a launch date won’t be announced until next week.

The 520 bridge will be tolled at a variable rate, depending on time of day. These range from zero overnight, to $2.25 midday on weekdays, to $3.50 at peak commute times, to name some examples.

Motorists without a state-issued “Good to Go” transponder, available at goodtogo.org, will be billed by mail for the toll rate plus a $1.50 surcharge.

Tolls on the 1963 bridge and the new bridge are supposed to raise $1 billion for a $4.65 billion, six-lane replacement. The floating part is to be assembled by late 2014 using pontoons built in Grays Harbor, but fixed spans, lids and ramps on the Seattle side are unfunded and years away.

http://today.seattletimes.com/2011/1...rt-this-month/

 

so is tolling actually going to start?

 

Its $5 at peak times if you dont have a pass It's typically over $2 more than the pass prices at all other times if you dont have one.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Tolling/TollRates.htm

 

Your question has been answered.

 

^I don't think his question has been truly answered until 5AM on 12/29.

 

F that. I'll take I-90, or go through Kenmoore to get to I-5 if I need to.

 

You and everybody else that doesnt want to drop ~$2,000 per year to drive 520.


What I still cant understand is why they take down a bridge which was at 120% capacity (built in the 50's) and replace it while only adding a single carpool lane?

The only thing preventing the new bridge from being over capacity once finished will be the financial penalty which forces people (read: middle/lower tax class people) to other routes, thus pushing those routes over capacity.

This is a lose, lose, lose situation.

 

They also hired a company that has failed numerous times in the past, and each time they've been let off by the company that hired them because they just want the project done.

Either way, I don't drive 520 so I don't care that I'll pay the $3 or whatever for the once a month I cross the bridge

 

ah, but at least the tolling will stop once they've completed...BUUUUUULLLLLLLLLSHIIIIIIIIIIIIT!

 

Not advising it but this flip down licence plate would also be an option if you want to stick it to the Man lol

http://www.amsperformance.com/cart/R...Up-Device.html

 

Or just don't run front plates...lol. I'm curious to know if they take rear plate image also, or if that was a huge oversight

 

Partly because they're dumb. But partly because the reasons why 520 is congested have nothing to do with 520. 520 is a cluster **** because I5 and I405 are both cluster ****s, and I5 in particular always will be a cluster **** since they built the convention center on top of it, forever preventing expansion. 405 has a little room, but not much. Since it's a given that both ends of the bridge will always be ****ed up, having 4 or 5 lanes just means more cars parked on the bridge at peak hours.

The only value of the new bridge is that it will have a bike lane and possibly light rail room (if Bellevue ever decides that mass transit is a good thing). Also, that it won't sink in a 6.5 earthquake.

 

So I was listening to the radio this morning and apparently the cameras will still catch you "upto 100 mph"

... Who wants to test it?

 

 

I heard that this morning too and thought the same thing. Kinda dumb of them to let everyone know that.