General Questions
Still have questions? E-mail us.
Good To Go! Accounts
Questions about your Good To Go! account? Email customer service. |
Tolling on the SR 520 Bridge
Q. Why is WSDOT tolling the SR 520 Bridge?
A. Tolling on the SR 520 Bridge helps pay for the new bridge, scheduled to open in 2014. The new bridge is designed to withstand major earthquakes and windstorms, providing increased safety. When complete, it will include six lanes with two general purpose lanes and one carpool/transit lane in each direction. The new SR 520 Bridge will have HOV lanes that will make bus trips more frequent and reliable. It will also accommodate light rail in the future, have a pedestrian and bike path, and shoulder lanes to keep traffic flowing in the event of a vehicle breakdown.
Q. Why is WSDOT tolling the existing SR 520 Bridge?
A. The bridge pontoon construction and corridor improvements have already started. Tolling on the existing bridge during construction of the new one helps reduce the amount of project funding that must be financed, saving money.
Tolling also helps improve traffic flow on the existing bridge, since some drivers will choose to travel at off-peak hours, consolidate trips, use the bus, carpool or vanpool, or take alternative routes rather than pay the toll.
Q. Where are tolls collected?
A. Tolling equipment is installed on overhead signs at the east high-rise of the SR 520 Bridge structure. Electronic readers and cameras charge tolls at highway speeds. There are no toll booths.
Q. Are tolls collected in both directions?
A. Tolls are collected in both directions. The toll rates vary depending on the time of day, and the current toll rate is displayed on an electronic sign on the high-rise. Toll signage is posted on both sides of the bridge to alert drivers to the last exit before tolling begins.
Q. What is the last SR 520 exit I can take before being subject to the toll?
A. Headed east on SR 520 from I-5 in Seattle, the last exit drivers can take to avoid the toll is Montlake Boulevard.
Headed west on SR 520 from Bellevue/Redmond, the last exit drivers can take to avoid the toll is 92nd Avenue Northeast.
Q. Will tolling end when the project is paid off?
A. The legislation authorizing tolling on the SR 520 Bridge does not specify an end date. It is expected that tolls will continue on the bridge at least until the 30 and 40 year bonds are paid off. Revenue from tolling the bridge will only be used as authorized by the Legislature for bond payments, operations and maintenance within the SR 520 corridor.
Q. What are my options for taking transit across Lake Washington?
A. In anticipation of the start of tolling, King County Metro and Sound Transit have added 130 daily bus trips to routes on SR 520 for a total of 700 every weekday. Service has been increased on existing lines, and expanded into some areas that didn’t have bus service before. Many transit routes across the SR 520 and I-90 bridges also have night and weekend service. And when you ride the bus you don’t pay the SR 520 toll.
Visit kingcounty.gov/getyouthere/ or www.soundtransit.org/520bridge to plan your next trip across Lake Washington.
Q. What signs alert drivers SR 520 is a tolled bridge?
A. We’ve installed numerous signs along SR 520, I-405, I-5 and local city streets leading to SR 520 that indicate the bridge is tolled and which exit is the last exit before drivers must pay a toll.
The toll rates vary by time of day. The toll rate signs are located just prior to the toll point in both directions on the east high-rise of the bridge. If rate signs were installed at other locations the toll rate may change by the time drivers reach the toll point.
top
Toll Rates and Exemptions
Q. What are the toll rates for the SR 520 Bridge?
A. Toll rates vary by time of day and on weekends to encourage driving during less-congested periods. There is a lower toll rate for vehicles with Good To Go! accounts, and a higher rate for vehicles that receive a bill through Pay By Mail.
Check out the complete SR 520 Bridge toll rate schedule.
Q. Who is exempt from paying tolls on the SR 520 Bridge?
A. Registered vanpools and transit are exempt from tolls on the SR 520 Bridge, along with emergency response vehicles such as police, fire and ambulances on bona-fide emergencies, Washington State Patrol vehicles assigned to the bridge, tow trucks authorized by the Washington State Patrol to clear a blocking incident, and bridge maintenance vehicles. Carpools and motorcycles are not exempt.
Q. How were the SR 520 tolling exemptions determined?
A. Transit and vanpool exemptions were based on Federal Highway Administration mandates. WSDOT received $154.5 million in funding from a federal Urban Partnership grant, which requires that transit and vanpools be exempt from tolls. Exemptions regarding emergency vehicles and law enforcement are consistent with exemptions provided on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and focused on keeping the roadway operating as efficiently as possible.
Q. Why do motorcycles pay the same toll as larger two axle vehicles?
A. Tolls are directed at all users of the bridge in order to meet funding requirements. Toll rates were determined based upon the number of axles on a vehicle, and motorcycles and cars both typically have two axles. Although motorcycles are allowed in HOV lanes on SR 520, their usage is based on safety considerations, not vehicle efficiency or people moving capability.
Q. What is meant by off-peak / variable / time of day tolling?
A. Toll rates on the SR 520 Bridge vary by time of day. Rates are lower at off-peak travel times, such as late at night and mid-day, and highest during peak travel times. Off-peak tolling helps improve traffic flow by encouraging some drivers to shift their travel times, thus reducing the number of vehicles using the highway at peak travel times.
Q. Do tolls vary by type of vehicle?
A. Yes, tolls vary by the number of axles (pdf 78 kb) on a vehicle. Drivers are charged proportionately more for each additional axle above two. For example, a two-axle car pays a $3.50 toll on a weekday between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., while a three-axle vehicle pays $5.25 during the same time period.
top
How to pay the SR 520 toll
Q. How can drivers pay the SR 520 Bridge toll?
A. There are several ways to pay the SR 520 toll:
1. Good To Go! Pass - Drivers with a Good To Go! Pass will have their toll deducted from their prepaid account. With a Good To Go! Pass you will pay the cheapest toll. Find more information on Good To Go! accounts.
2. Good To Go! Pay By Plate - Drivers who prefer not to have a pass can set up a Pay By Plate account by simply registering their license plate number(s) on the account. When crossing the bridge, a photo is taken of the vehicle’s license plate and tolls deducted from a prepaid Good To Go! account. There is a $0.25 fee per toll transaction for Pay By Plate.
3. Pay By Mail - Drivers who do not have a Good To Go! account can Pay By Mail. A Pay By Mail toll bill will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle at a higher toll rate.
Q. How will visitors and infrequent drivers pay the SR 520 Bridge toll?
A. Visitors or infrequent drivers without a Good To Go! account have two options to pay the SR 520 Bridge toll:
1. Short Term Account - A Short Term Account is designed for visitors or infrequent drivers who will use the SR 520 Bridge, but do not want to set up and fund a permanent account. This type of account does not require a Good To Go! Pass. A Short Term Account is valid for up to 14 days and then it automatically closes. Drivers have up to 72 hours after they travel the SR 520 Bridge to set up this type of account. Short Term Account toll rates are $0.50 less than Pay By Mail toll rates.
2. Pay By Mail - Drivers who do not have any type of Good To Go! account can wait to receive a Pay By Mail toll bill in the mail. We have a reciprocal agreement with all other states to obtain registered owner information, so out-of-state drivers will receive a toll bill.
Q. How do I set up a Good To Go! account?
A. There several ways to open a Good To Go! account. The minimum opening balance for all Good To Go! accounts is $30. Read more information on the types of Good To Go! accounts.
- Set up an account online and purchase any of the five Good To Go! Pass options, then receive your pass in the mail. This will require a credit card or bank account.
- You can purchase a Sticker Pass at participating retail stores throughout the region, and then activate your account by adding funds online or by calling 1-866-936-8246. You may use cash, check, EBT card or credit card to purchase the pass, but a credit card or bank account will be needed to activate the account online or over the phone.
- Visit a walk-in customer service center in Seattle, Bellevue or Gig Harbor to select any of the five Good To Go! Pass options and set up and activate an account using any payment option you choose, including electronic benefits transfer (EBT) or cash.
Q. Why did I receive a Pay By Mail toll bill?
A. You will receive a Pay By Mail toll bill if you traveled across the SR 520 Bridge and your vehicle was not registered under a pre-paid Good To Go! account. Learn more about what to do if you receive a Pay By Mail toll bill.
top
Info on $10 in SR 520 tolls credit
Q. I activated my Good To Go! Pass by April 2011; when will I see the $10 in free SR 520 tolls credit on my account?
A. You will see the credit on your monthly statement after accumulating tolls on your account. Your account will be credited back for all SR 520 Bridge toll transactions until the $10 credit has been used. More information about the offer.
Q. When did the $10 in free SR 520 tolls credit expire?
A. Toll credits must have been used by the end of the promotional period - March 31, 2012. More information about the offer.
top
Traffic Monitoring
Q. What impact will SR 520 tolling have on traffic?
A. Initially, there will be a period of adjustment where people modify their travel schedules to take advantage of transit, telecommuting and off-peak times. After this period, traffic models indicate the following changes in traffic speeds during peak-periods due to diversion:
- Westbound SR 520 Morning Commute: 20 mph faster
- Westbound I-90 Morning Commute: 5 to 10 mph slower
- Westbound SR 522 Morning Commute: 5 mph slower
- No noticeable impact on I-405 or I-5.
Q. What is WSDOT doing to help traffic since tolling started?
A. We’re coordinating with local jurisdictions to monitor key routes on highway and local streets after SR 520 tolling starts. We are closely monitoring all of the Lake Washington corridors to determine how tolling affects traffic. Our monitoring work will compare traffic conditions after tolling to pre-toll conditions. We are also tracking travel times, coordinating signals, and collecting traffic count data on highways and local roads. We will regularly report on traffic conditions to the Legislature, local governments and the Transportation Commission.
Q. What tools are available to help drivers?
A. A. We make every effort to make sure drivers are always informed as to what is happening on highways across the state.
Q. Will the I-90 Bridge be tolled?
A. Not at this time. The state Legislature considered options for tolling both the SR 520 and I-90 bridges as part of its Tolling Implementation Committee study in 2008. The Legislature only authorized tolling of the SR 520 Bridge, with the intent to monitor how SR 520 tolling affects traffic on other corridors, and if sufficient funds are being collected to pay for costs associated with building the 520 replacement bridge. Legislative authorization is required to toll any new corridors, including I-90, and tolling I-90 would also have to be coordinated with the Federal Highway Administration.
top