Washington lawmaker wants to drop weekend tolls on SR 167

Tolls could be changing on State Route 167, and the move could save drivers money.

State Rep. Mark Harmsworth wants to make it free for drivers to use the high-occupancy toll lanes, or HOT lanes, on Saturdays and Sundays.

Currently, the HOT lanes are only free between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. daily.

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Harmsworth says it’s confusing that drivers pay a toll on the weekends to drive in the HOT lanes on 167, but once they get up to Bellevue on I-405, they don‘t have to pay to drive in the toll lanes.

There is a recent precedent for making changes to the system.

Earlier this year, after sharp criticism from drivers, the State Transportation Commission revised the tolls on 405 to give drivers a break in the evenings and on weekends.

According to the News Tribune, commission staff is looking into the idea to do the same on 167.

They want to study the proposal to see if it would make a difference in traffic patterns or negatively impact toll revenue. The studies will take some time.

The Transportation Commission could vote on the proposal later this year, and if it if decides to drop the tolls on weekends, it likely wouldn’t go into effect until early next year.