Express Lane tolling on I-405 begins in September
Jul 31, 2015, 6:23 AM | Updated: 6:32 am
WSDOT expects drivers will be confused as the express lane tolls begin on I-405, but state troopers will be on-hand to help explain the changes. (WSDOT image)
(WSDOT image)
The free ride on I-405 is about to end as the much-anticipated Express Toll Lanes will begin in September.
The new Express Toll system will allow drivers to buy their way into the HOV lanes for a faster trip between downtown Bellevue and Lynnwood. The tolls are variable, changing prices depending on how far you travel in the lanes and how much congestion there is.
The occupancy requirement will also change to 2-plus people in off-peak hours, 3-plus people during the morning and afternoon commutes.
Jennifer Charlebois, Washington State Department of Transportation toll systems engineer, says she expects some confusion when the tolls begin.
“I think that my biggest concern with this is it’s something new in the roadway and it will take a little bit of time for people to get used to it, to try it out, and to realize that it makes sense for them or to realize how to use the roadway — how to get in and out of it. So lots of new signing, lots of new facts for people to understand.”
But Charlebois says a lot of I-405 drivers are ready. Sales of the new $15 Good-to-Go Flex Pass have been steady.
“We’ve given away over 10,000 of them and we’re coming up on about 50,000 that we’ve either sold or traded out with people for other kinds of passes,” she said.
The Flex Pass will be required for anyone who uses the Express Toll Lanes, even if you will always have enough people to qualify for a free ride.
“That’s one of the biggest things that people need to understand is that if you currently carpool on I-405 when you use the HOV lanes, you can continue to use those lanes for free, but you need to get a pass to do so,” Charlebois said. “So you need a Flex Pass. If you drive a motorcycle, you need a motorcycle pass.”
And you will need to flip the pass between HOV mode and toll mode, depending on how many people you have in the car.
Charlebois says there will be plenty of state troopers to help explain the changes.
“We’re going to have quite a few emphasis patrols out there; more WSP than usual patrolling the system,” she said. “For the first few weeks, they’re really going to be focusing on education. They will pull people over if they see them either not following the occupancy guidelines or crossing the double white line.”
Buying your way into the Express Toll Lanes will cost between 75 cents and $10, but WSDOT says most trips will likely cost up to $4.
The collected toll money will go to running the system itself and paying for future I-405 improvements.
