Toll glitch means annoying fines for unlucky I-405 drivers

Commuters have been pounded with outreach and messages preparing them for new Express Toll Lanes on I-405 slated to take effect later this month. But there remains a wrinkle in the new HOV plan that could cause needless fines for drivers who follow the rules.

Related: New HOV signs cause confusion on I-405, slow traffic

The Washington State Department of Transportation is looking into how some car windshields block scanners from reading HOV passes. Those windshields contain metal, which is blocking the scanners from getting a clear read on the Flex Pass that commuters are required to use in order to pay a toll — or to avoid fines while using I-405 HOV lanes, KING 5 reports.

Tolling begins on I-405 on Sept. 27.

WSDOT knew about the metal issue from previous encounters with Good To Go passes at other tolled roadways. The department relied on reading license plates as a backup, but that method won’t work for the I-405 system. The Flex Pass, unique to the I-405 HOV system, switches between signs indicating if a vehicle should pay a toll or not. It is, therefore, different than other WSDOT passes.

Related: How to use I-405’s Flex Pass

A fine for violating I-405’s HOV lane rules could cost up to $10 per trip. Should a driver be fined mistakenly, WSDOT asks that they call customer service — each time. It’s a glitch that WSDOT claims will affect 1 percent of drivers, which equates to several thousands of drivers on I-405.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a solution that works for everybody,” WSDOT Director of Toll Operations Patty Rubstello told KING 5, noting that she understands that drivers will scoff at having to call WSDOT customer service for each needless fine.

“We recognize that’s a challenge. We are looking for a method that is helpful for them, and recognize, yes, sometimes that means you have to take an extra step,” she said.