Four tips for driving in the new I-405 express toll lanes

If you spend four hours traversing the Eastside along I-405, like KIRO Radio’s Chris Sullivan did, you quickly learn a thing or two about how drivers respond to change.

The observant traffic reporter has four things to share about the new express toll lanes:

Hold out for Sixth

If you’re driving south in the new toll lanes to downtown Bellevue, there’s no reason to get back into the general purpose lanes to exit at Fourth Street or Eight Street. This will only negate any time you’ve saved so far in the toll lanes.

WSDOT’s access point map

Instead, there is an exit for the toll lanes, on the left-hand side of the freeway, at Sixth Street. Judging by the small number of people using it on opening day, it’s clear drivers need more time to realize this.

Do the same at 128th

Stay in the toll lane until you get to 128th St. where WSDOT converted a bus-only, HOV exit. Don’t try to cross all lanes to get off at 124th in Totem Lake.

Still working on it

If you’re headed south from Woodinville, getting into the express toll lanes won’t be easy. Drivers are complaining that they have to quickly cross several lanes after entering I-405 from SR 522.

It’s not easy to get into the toll access point from Woodinville and it’s not clear how WSDOT is going to remedy that issue.

If you’re trying to plan ahead and figure out where you’ll enter and exit, check out WSDOT’s interactive map.

Anyone’s guess

Drivers will need two more passengers in the car to avoid being charged a toll during peak commute times (5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays). If you get into the lanes during those peak hours, expect to pay anywhere from 75 cents to $10.

How much will you pay and when? It’s entirely dependent on how backed up traffic is at that time. The goal is to keep cars moving at 45 mph most of the time. WSDOT will try to price it right to maintain the speeds while also attracting people from the general purpose lanes.

SK