WSDOT to kick off SR 167 Expressway toll fees in Fife Dec. 14

Drivers who rely on the SR 167 Expressway in Fife for their work commute have just over a month before toll fees begin on Dec. 14 at 5 a.m.

That means all drivers using the expressway between I-5 and SR 509 near the Port of Tacoma who have a Good To Go! pass will pay $1 to use the new expressway every time.

Toll fees will be collected in both directions at all hours. Vehicles with more than two axles will be charged an additional 50 cents per axle. Drivers without a Good To Go! pass will be billed afterward by mail at a toll rate of $2 more per trip, depending on the vehicle’s number of axles.

Why the toll fees?

Toll fees are meant to cover operation costs of the new expressway and fund construction work for the Puget Sound Gateway Project, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Toll revenue is required to fund $213.2 million of the Gateway Project, which has a budget of $2.83 billion.

WSDOT Expressway phases

The initial two miles of the expressway opened in September between I-5 and SR 509. Four more miles of the expressway in Puyallup are not expected to open until 2029.

Nearby routes without tolls will remain free to use.

Low-income discount program

Qualified drivers can get a half-off discount, which also becomes active on Dec. 14. Drivers must have a gross household income of no more than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level before taxes. For a single driver, the annual income requirement is about $31,920 a year or less, and $66,000 or less annually for a household of four people.

Applicants must provide a copy of vehicle registration and income verification documents. More information on how to apply is available here.

The discount is not available for trips on tolled roads such as the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the SR 99 tunnel, the SR 520 bridge, the I-405 express toll lane, and the SR 167 express toll lane.

Read more of Regan Gallo-Fenz’s stories here. Submit news tips here.