Date:
Friday, October 12, 2007
Contact:
Joshua Cheatham, Project Engineer, 253.872.2958 (Kent)
Victoria Tobin, WSDOT Communications, 206.464.1184 (Seattle)
KENT – Drivers are noticing a different kind of striping on nine miles of State Route 167 between Auburn and Renton as crews work to install Washington state's first high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes.
The eight-inch wide buffer stripes separate the left general purpose lane from the existing HOV lane on both directions of the highway. Crews will add a second, parallel set of buffer stripes next spring.
“While the HOT lanes are not scheduled to open until next spring," said WSDOT Project Engineer Josh Cheatham, "we are doing what we can this year while the weather prevails to put down the first set."
Cheatham asked motorcyclists to use caution while getting in and out of the HOV lanes because the wide buffer striping has half inch-high bumps to alert drivers who veer across lanes.
Drivers can expect overnight lane and ramp closures while crews complete the striping and other work associated with HOT lanes installation. Visit WSDOT's Construction Update Report for closure details.
The SR 167 HOT Lanes Pilot Project will allow solo drivers to pay a toll to use the HOV lanes. Toll rates are set electronically to keep HOT lanes traffic flowing at 45 miles per hour or faster, even when the regular lanes are congested. During the SR 167 HOT Lanes Pilot Project buses, vanpools, carpools and motorcycles may continue to use the HOT lanes without paying a toll. To use the lanes, solo drivers will need a pre-paid Good To Go! account and a transponder mounted on their windshields. Tolls will be debited from their accounts electronically upon entry.
To see how the new SR 167 HOT lanes will work, view the video on the SR 167 HOT lanes Web site: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR167/HOTLanes/. For more information on Good To Go!, visit the WSDOT Good To Go! Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/GoodToGo.
< Back to News Home