Tolls on I-90 focus of meetings in Seattle, Bellevue, Mercer Island

BY Tim Haeck  on January 28, 2013 @ 2:13 pm (Updated: 2:49 pm - 1/28/13 )

i-90 bridge
Tolling on I-90 might be the way chosen to make up a funding shortfall for the 520 Bridge. (AP Photo/file) | Zoom
The new highway 520 bridge is under construction but hanging over the project to improve the Seattle to Bellevue corridor is a funding shortfall of $1.4 billion.

Community meetings are scheduled this week in Mercer Island, Bellevue and Seattle, and John White, with the State Transportation Department told Seattle City Councilmembers Monday that adding tolling to I-90 is a good possibility.

"We are looking at full tolling of I-90," said White. "Our directive from the legislature was to generate revenue that could help fill the 520 funding gap so [just] express toll lanes on I-90 don't get you even close."

White said that tolling of State Route 520 across the floating bridge is going "quite well" in the first year of operation, saying that the forecasting of revenue and operations is meeting or beating expectations. But projections leave a funding gap that can't be covered with 520 tolls and gas tax revenue.

"We have a variety of state and federal sources, a variety of toll-based sources, both state and federal that have been leveraged in funding 520 to this point but, again, there is a $1.4 billion shortfall," explained White.

White said the legislature has directed the state Transportation Department to conduct a comprehensive environmental review of tolling I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue for two purposes, "to raise revenue, capital revenue, to complete 520, as well as to manage congestion within the I-90 corridor and re-balance, essentially, the cross-lake corridor traffic operations."

Adding tolls to I-90 would require approval from both the state legislature and the federal government and could happen as soon as next year. Tuesday's meeting is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center.

Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter
Tim Haeck is a news reporter with KIRO Radio. While Tim is one of our go-to, no-nonsense reporters, he also has a sensationally dry sense of humor and it will surprise some to learn he is a weekend warrior.
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Comments (18)


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  • luckedout wrote...
    A horrible idea that only benefits the wealthy.
    January 28, 2013 2:10 pm
    520 traffic is down 30% due to the new toll and you will see a similar drop off in usage of I-90. So while the rich enjoy their new bridge with less traffic, the rest of us peasants who aren't going to shell over an extra $1000 a year are stuck in traffic an extra 30 minutes.
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  • SirChaos wrote...
    This was the plan from the start.
    January 28, 2013 2:32 pm
    I'm sorry, but my personal feeling is that when the leaders of this project brought the planning together, they knew that I-90 was their backup plan to add additional revenue. I just find it so weird that charging a toll on a bridge to cover the cost of another one. Once established, it will never go away, just look at California and the Bay Area. This is the area governments plan to get you out of your car, make you carpool with 4 or more people, and take more money out of your pocket. And no....I don't live in Bellevue, I live in Marysville. I hope you all fight this down there.
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  • sammycajun wrote...
    Not sure why the feds would approve tolling a federal highway
    January 28, 2013 2:48 pm
    since the feds already paid for I-90 via your tax dollars, why would you be double taxed? Bad idea....very bad idea.
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  • mnpat wrote...
    Well the rich folks on Mercer Island have a lot of legislative clout
    January 28, 2013 3:02 pm
    And will not being tolls. Kinda like whty they are allowed to drive in the car pool lane now.
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  • uralnutjobs wrote...
    extend the duration of the tolls on 520 till it's paid for
    January 28, 2013 3:07 pm
    we cant keep thinking we can toll others for the construction of something they are not using.
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  • NoiseMan wrote...
    I'm curious....
    January 28, 2013 3:18 pm
    Does MI get charged to go to Bellevue or Seattle? Which side of the island will the toll point be?
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  • SouthernRoots wrote...
    Bad habits
    January 28, 2013 4:05 pm
    As much as I hate tolling, if a roadway must be tolled, all monies collected should be for that roadway only. Toll I-90 to maintain I-90, but not to replace or maintain a totally different roadway. But before taxing - oops - tolling drivers to use the roads, why not give them back tax money by making the train and bus riders pay more of a fair usage "fee" to ride transit, rather than have drivers pay a use "fee" on top of subsidizing transit?
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  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Poor frog
    January 28, 2013 4:23 pm
    He has no clue...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Toll all the roads in -
    January 28, 2013 5:07 pm
    Seattle!! Just make sure the TEXAS company runs the program!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • imanegro wrote...
    This is such a shock
    January 28, 2013 5:53 pm
    A funding shortfall? Yet the bridge is still being built. Only the government could get away with this- the same government that now controls your health care. Thank you, democrats.
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