Dori: I-405 announcement proves Republicans were right to oust Peterson

Maybe the Washington state Senate Republicans were right after all.

While Gov. Jay Inslee says Tuesday’s requests for changes on the I-405 express toll lanes are to help improve congestion during commutes, KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson views the announcement as validation of the Senate’s decision earlier this month to fire Washington State Department of Transportation Director Lynn Peterson &#8212 a move led by Senate Republicans.

“If this is coming from the governor and not the secretary of transportation, doesn’t it prove that Lynn Peterson wasn’t doing her job and that Senate Republicans were right in firing her?” Dori asked. “And that Jay Inslee, if he was sincere about this, should have acted months ago when people were first complaining.”

Related: Cornfield: I-405 troubles could sink Gov. Inslee’s administration

Inslee announced a series of changes to the I-405 corridor, including instructing the Washington State Department of Transportation to remove the tolls during non-peak evening hours, and possibly on weekends and holidays. Inslee said that WSDOT has learned that tolling during those times is not necessary to reducing congestion. It’s a notion that Dori has been suggesting for months.

“Really? You’ve been collecting tolls for something that wasn’t necessary for improving commute times?” Dori asked. “Gosh, who would have ever thought that that’s what was going on? That they were collecting tolls just because they wanted our money?”

Inslee also proposed funding to begin analyzing a new auxiliary lane between SR 520 and 70th Place, along with a general-purpose shoulder on northbound I-405, from SR 527. It’s yet another idea that riled Dori.

“So we are years away from a solution and yet families are going to be forced into the horrible choice of being stuck in gridlock in the general purpose lanes or paying a $10 toll each day, thousands of dollars a year that they cannot afford,” he said. “This whole process is simply immoral, saying we’re going to either steal your most precious commodity &#8212 time &#8212 if you cannot afford the toll lanes or we’re going to steal thousands of dollars of your money if you can.”

Dori says the announcement shows Inslee was listening to the public, but didn’t fully hear the concerns. Dori called this “full-out panic mode” and an indication that he is trying to get ahead of an issue that could drag down his re-election bid.

“The people of this region have loudly, clearly communicated that they are very frustrated with what has happened on 405,” he said. “This has been a toll lane disaster, forcing some people into gridlock, if you’re in the general purpose lanes and can’t afford to drive in the toll lanes, forcing others to spend thousands of dollars a year so they can have the privilege of driving in a lane that we have all paid for already with one of the highest gas taxes in the country.”