Who is using the carpool option on I-405?
Dec 23, 2015, 11:36 PM | Updated: May 7, 2016, 11:39 pm
How often do you use the I-405 express toll lanes?
If you casually saddle up to any eastside bar, often the first topic of conversation is the I-405 express toll lanes. Are they good? Are they bad? Did you cross a double white line to get here?
The Washington State Department of Transportation recently polled drivers, asking how often they are actually using the new lanes, and how.
First, let’s break down the sample. These numbers are according to drivers who requested a free FlexPass. WSDOT does not provide the exact numbers, but 39 percent of them use the I-405 express toll lanes 2-3 times per week.
Why do drivers only use the lanes 2-3 times per week? If you take into consideration that the express toll lane rates range anywhere from 75 cents to $10, you never really know what rate you are going to get, so budgeting for daily use might be a pricey pill to swallow.
If you have been tempted to use the I-405 express toll lanes but on principle refuse to pay for them, WSDOT has distributed over 33,000 free FlexPasses to carpoolers so far and you can still apply for a free FlexPass incentive and free motorcycle pass for I-405 through the end of March 2016.
To qualify, you must “live, work or play” in King and Snohomish counties, and carpool at least once a week on I-405, with at least two people in your vehicle.
