Mercer Island caught in middle of I-90 tolling debate

BY Chris Sullivan  on January 29, 2013 @ 4:59 am (Updated: 5:30 pm - 1/29/13 )

tolls_I90_notolls_daveross.jpg
Tolling the one and only way on and off the island does not sit well with residents. "No tolling" signs litter the island. (KIRO Radio Photo/Dave Ross) | Zoom
The state doesn't have the money to finish the 520 Bridge project. It is more than a billion dollars short. So the state wants to toll I-90 to pay for it.

That doesn't sit well with drivers around the region and especially the 22,000 people who live on Mercer Island who have no other way to get to and from their homes.

The state Department of Transportation is making its pitch to cities served by I-90 this week. The Washington State Department of Transportation's John White was in Seattle Monday saying the state needs to toll I-90 or the 520 Bridge project won't be completed. "We are looking at full tolling of I-90," White told the Seattle City Council.

Turning the HOV lanes on I-90 into toll lanes is also being considered, but it isn't going to be enough to cover the shortfall so that state needs to toll the entire stretch across Lake Washington: from Bellevue to Seattle.

On Tuesday afternoon on Mercer Island, WSDOT was facing a packed house full of angry people. Tolling the one and only way on and off the island does not sit well with residents. "No tolling" signs litter the island. City councilmember Mike Cero said people living on the island can't afford a tax like that. "The normal household with kids in the schools they'll run up a tab of $5,000 to $8,000 with a potential toll."

Cero believes that will force some to move, depressing home values, and businesses which rely on off-island customers will disappear. "They won't come to Mercer Island to save a little money at the thrift store or to buy their glasses at Mercer Island Eyeworks."

For Cero, this is not just a Mercer Island issue. "This is a regional issue, and Mercer Island has the same interest that Bellevue, Sammamish and Issaquah do," he said. .

What about the freight haulers, Cero asks? They don't use 520. They use I-90 to get to the Port. They have no other options either.

But as John White said - tolling is the direction WSDOT is going. The gas tax just doesn't do it anymore. "It's all going to be about user-fees going forward," he said.

The state is holding these public meetings around the region this year, and it will present its findings to the legislature. Lawmakers will decide in 2014 whether or not to place tolls on I-90.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (32)


  • Add A Comment

  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Until the voters of this state decide enough
    January 29, 2013 5:37 am
    The D's that controlled this state for the last 40 years, and dragged it down into the ground, will continue to ask for more and more and more.

    Its like an alcoholic or a drug addict, the more you give the more they want. They wont stop until the state goes bankrupt or the people say ENOUGH.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    It is more than a at the starting line
    January 29, 2013 5:55 am
    use the CH numbers. Toll 3x what they toll on the 520. Wait till you see the 99 tunnel starting line number(billion dollars short). You voted for it and you got it Seattle.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cameron wrote...
    Why are they holding meetings?
    January 29, 2013 6:03 am
    Given this quote from the Story, it is very apparent that the state is out of answers other than "More Tolling". "But as John White said - tolling is the direction WSDOT is going. The gas tax just doesn't do it anymore. "It's all going to be about user-fees going forward," he said." Perhaps it's time for a completely new team at WSDOT and the Legislature. You realize this is all about social control and agenda driven policies. It's not about increasing capacity, throughput and efficientcy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    tolling is the direction WSDOT is going
    January 29, 2013 6:05 am
    We Mr. John White, maybe the time has finally come where you try something new and stop fleecing the fine folks of this state.....maybe get all of you WSDOT folks into anger management stuff.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • doubleogordo wrote...
    Are we all really this complacent?
    January 29, 2013 6:06 am
    Come on Seattle. Have we all just turned into a bunch of bending ankle grabbing bending over forward citizens? Those is basically taxation without representation.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Annie (1) wrote...
    Why not ....
    January 29, 2013 6:29 am
    Why not change things so more than the current 40% of the gas tax can be used to fix & fund roads & bridges? Right now 60% of the gas tax goes to mass transit . It's not a total fix - but t could help.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Amorget wrote...
    Why not
    January 29, 2013 6:49 am
    Stop subsidizing the mass transit system and give 100% of the gas taxes to the road system? Make the transit a "use tax" for people who USE IT instead of taxing everyone else.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    exactly!
    January 29, 2013 11:06 am
    enuff already w/ the shell games... people need to pay the actual costs of mass transit.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    "people need to pay the actual costs of mass transit."
    January 29, 2013 3:54 pm
    And they will, of course there are much more travelling out of Seattle then into Seattle everyday, so it would appear all of you that seem to enjoy paying taxes and tolls will be paying even more to get out of the city you love so much.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    This was the plan
    January 29, 2013 6:46 am
    all along. They knew the 520 tolls weren't going to be enough and now they're going to try and fleece people where ever they drive. I would think the Port of Seattle and freight carriers are going to be up in arms as well.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    no, No, and NO.
    January 29, 2013 6:59 am
    people fought the tolling on 520. people STOPPED using it. a LOT of us SAID that people would STOP USING IT. we also said, "watch, nobody is going to use it and they'll need to toll I-90."

    well, there you go.

    THE PEOPLE shouldn't have to pay for the mis-management of the state's roads monies.

    this HAS to stop.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    @oly
    January 29, 2013 7:36 am
    Great point! But, this is what happens when people continue to elect fiscally IRRESPONSIBLE & TOTALLY UNACCOUNTABLE Democrats ( 30 years now) into office. They don't give a Ratsass how much money they puss away. They just kep gouging the middle class for more fees & tolls & regulations....just look at The history of WASTE in this State. ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY & ZERO CONSEQUENCES and they know it. Pathetic, Disgusting & Disgraceful....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNerd wrote...
    How is this not criminal?
    January 29, 2013 7:21 am
    The state doesn't have the money to finish the 520 Bridge project. It is more than a billion dollars short. So the state wants to toll I-90 to pay for it. I can't afford to pay for my sandwich. I'm 2 dollars short. I would like a toll the Deli to pay for it. #logicbomb
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    Now THIS is a problem...!!
    January 29, 2013 7:29 am
    How many KIRO employees are going to be "busy that day" when Dave Ross starts asking for some help to move his living room couch on to the moving van? The only other choice he'll have is to "Quietly Retire" as morning host and run for M.I. city council.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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