WSDOT says no diversion from I-405 since toll lanes opened

Southbound I-405 has had great travel times during the morning commute since the first few days the toll lanes opened.

Commute times from Lynnwood to Bellevue have hovered around 40 minutes, which is way below its traditional averages. The express toll lanes have been hovering under 25 minutes. This is exactly what the state was looking for.

“We still had volumes up 9 or 10 percent higher than we had a year ago, yet our travel times were lower,” State Tolling Director Craig Stone said.

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But what about the diversion we’re seeing, causing congestion on side streets?

“We’re not seeing diversion away from 405,” Stone explained. “Now there may very well be traffic trying different routes and we would expect that, but from what we’re seeing; good utilization of 405 in express toll lanes. They’re starting to pick up and being utilized. Also seeing efficient utilization of general lanes.”

The amount of crashes that have occurred on I-405 might be a reflection of higher traffic volumes. There were 119 crashes on I-405 between the Coal Creek Parkway area and Lynnwood last week. That’s compared to 48 on that stretch the same week of last year. It’s important to note that includes about four miles of highway not inside the toll lane system.

State Trooper Chris Webb doesn’t have an explanation. Is it the toll lane design? Is it driver behavior? It’s too soon to assign a cause. But he says the number one issue he sees is drivers crossing the double white line in and out of the lanes.

Related: Only a matter of time before changes to I-405 cause ‘something nasty’