Seattle's 520 bridge tolls to increase August 15

SEATTLE - The Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC) held a public hearing Wednesday to finalize new toll rates on SR-520, following a determination by the State Treasurer that current rates would be insufficient by July 2025.

During the meeting, only one member of the public joined the virtual call and provided input, speaking for three minutes. No other public comments were made.

The commission voted unanimously, 6-0, in favor of Option B for the toll rate increase. One commissioner was absent.

WSTC plans to file its final CR-103P paperwork by July 15 at noon. The new toll rates will take effect on the SR-520 bridge on Aug. 15, 2024.

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Option B, weekend rates ((WSTC))

Option B will increase tolls by an average of 10% per week, with more consistent rate variations. Adjustments will range from a decrease of $0.10 to an increase of $0.70, depending on the time of day. This approach contrasts with Option A, which proposed a uniform 10% increase across all times and days of the week, including weekends.

The necessity for this adjustment arose in December 2023 when the Office of the State Treasurer projected that current toll rates would become inadequate by mid-2025. In response, the WSTC considered two options to address the anticipated shortfall, ultimately choosing Option B for its balanced approach to rate adjustments.

The new toll rates are intended to ensure adequate funding for the state's transportation infrastructure, addressing the projected financial shortfall while aiming to distribute the impact more evenly across different times and days.