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Lake Washington Congestion Management

News

Tolling:
  • WSDOT advances statewide tolling program by contracting with Electronic Transaction Consultants (ETC) to operate a new statewide customer service center for toll operations.
  • Tolling on SR 520 will begin Spring 2011.
  • The Federal Highway Administration agreed that SR 520 electronic tolling would not have harmful affects on the environment as acknowledged in the recently released finding of no significant impact (FONSI). 
Technology:
  • Watch for nighttime lane and ramp closures on SR 520 and I-90 in Seattle and Bellevue while crews work on sign bridges.
  • Smarter Highways are coming to WA!
Transit:
  • Contracts for new 40 and 60 foot buses have been negotiated.
Telecommuting:
  • An agency work group is meeting to develop goals and strategies to promote telecommuting and look at ways to enhace existing traffic demand management programs.
 




UPA project map
The Lake Washington Congestion Management projects are all located within the Lake Washington Corridor.


What is Lake Washington Congestion Management?

The Lake Washington Congestion Management Program is a series of projects to help make the roadways smarter on I-90 and SR 520. The projects are supported by federal funding as part of The Lake Washington Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA). The UPA is a cooperative agreement to employ a new variable tolling system on the SR 520 corridor, which could provide up to $500 million towards replacing the ageing Lake Washington floating bridge, and innovative traffic management tools for improving traffic flow throughout the Lake Washington corridor. 

The Urban Partnership Agreement between the federal government, WSDOT, King County and the Puget Sound Regional Council includes four key strategies, known as the four T's: Tolling, Technology, Transit and Telecommuting.

What are the projects?

Early Tolling
    SR 520

Active Traffic Management
    I-90/SR 520
       
Travel Time Signs
    Lake Washington Travel Time Signs
  

Financial Information

Federal funding via the UPA could provide:

Tolling
(variable tolling of existing SR 520 bridge) 		  $63 million
Technology
(active traffic management)		  $23.1 million
Transit
(new buses and park & rides)		  $41 million
Telecommuting
(builds on existing programs)		  $0
Ferry Projects
(throughout the Puget Sound) 		 $27 million
Total financial benefit  $154 million in federal grants.



















Project Benefits 

  • Federal grants provide an additional funding source to help pay for a replacement SR 520 bridge.
  • Electronic tolling and ATM tools improve highway safety by reducing collisions
  • ATM eases congestion with managed lanes that improve traffic flow.
  • More real-time traffic information for drivers helps them avoid backups and manage demand for lane space.

What is the project timeline?


Tolling

Spring 2010:

Launch tolling education/outreach campaing for SR 520 tolling

Fall/Winter 2010:

Open Good To Go! Customer Service Centers for SR 520 tolling

Spring 2011:

Begin tolling on SR 520


ATM

Fall 2009:

Start installing ATM signs on the new sign bridges along I-5, SR 520 and I-90

Winter 2009:

Construct sign bridges on I-5, I-90, and SR 520

January 2010:

Start installing ATM signs on I-5, I-90, SR 520

Summer 2010:

Activate ATM on I-5 and SR 520

Spring 2011:

Activate ATM on I-90

Previous steps:

Spring 2007:

Submitted urban partnership grant application 

Summer 2007:

The Lake Washington Urban Partnership was selected as grant finalist 

Fall 2007:

King County received funding for five of six transit projects included in the UPA and new enhanced bus service on SR 520

Winter/Spring 2008:

Tolling and traffic technology concept development

Summer 2008:

Launched an environmental process for a proposal to toll the existing SR 520 floating bridge 

Fall/Winter 2008:

WSDOT developed design and contracts for ATM and tolling. 

Spring 2009:

Conduct tolling market research

April 2009:

 Legislature provides WSDOT with tolling authority for SR 520. Govenor Gregoire signed the bill in April.

May 2009:

Crews started constructing sign bridges for ATM signs 

June 2009: 

Launch the tolling project on SR 520



 



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