CHOKEPOINTS

WA toll revenue expected to take big hit because of coronavirus

Apr 16, 2020, 7:11 AM | Updated: Oct 8, 2024, 6:55 am

tolls, ETL, toll roads...

The I-405 toll lanes in Kirkland. (WSDOT)

(WSDOT)

With the roads almost empty these days, how much money is the state losing in toll revenue?

Why Seattle tunnel toll prices are at the exit instead of entrance

I am waiting for the numbers to come out. The state releases its toll data quarterly. It will be the end of this month before I get a look at the revenue numbers for January through March, but I am expecting the dollars to be way down.

I am going to start with the congestion pricing tolls on I-405. The first quarter of last year they made nearly $6.9 million. Minus expenses, that corridor netted over $3.7 million. Toll volumes are down 86% on 405. I’m not sure who’s paying to use them now since the general purpose lanes are just as fast.

The 167 HOT lanes had over $800,000 in revenue. They netted over $492,000 in Q1 last year. Toll volumes on that corridor are down 61%.

The 520 bridge revenues for Q1 of 2019 were $33.5 million. It netted $1.4 million. Volumes are down 75%.

Why drivers are paying tolls for undriven miles

The Narrows Bridge revenue for this time last year was over $19 million, but it was in the red by over $9 million for Q1 because of some debt payments. Volume there is off 43%.

The 99 tunnel was not tolled in the first quarter of last year. Volumes are down 81% in the tunnel.

So just looking at the volume totals, toll revenue is very likely going to be significantly down across the system.

Please follow our Community Guidelines

Chokepoints

9th ave...

Chris Sullivan

SDOT plans to paint over Convention Center street art that won’t come off 9th Ave.

SDOT, which granted the Seattle Convention Center the permit to paint 9th Ave., now has a plan to fix the problem.

9 hours ago

I-405 (2)...

Nate Connors

A full closure of I-405 will make for a rough weekend commute

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has scheduled a full closure of northbound I-405 between Renton and Bellevue.

10 hours ago

road with paint seattle convention center...

Chris Sullivan

Seattle Convention Center paints itself into a transportation mess on 9th Ave

A Seattle Convention Center art event left a key I-5 access road covered in paint that can't be removed, and there's no timeline to reopen.

2 days ago

sb i-5 semi-truck backup...

Jason Sutich

All lanes of SB I-5 reopen near Ship Canal Bridge after semi-truck collision caused 7-mile backup

All lanes have been reopened along southbound I-5 near the Ship Canal Bridge after a collision involving a semi-truck.

3 days ago

bus crash light rail...

Jake Renn, KIRO 7 News

Link light rail train involved in crash with bus, trains delayed

Link light rail trains have been delayed this morning, Sept. 15, because of a crash with an empty school bus.

4 days ago

closures...

Nate Connors

Expect delays: WSDOT has a busy week of closures planned across the region

Most of this week's lane and ramp closures are a continuation of the region's pavement repair projects scheduled to wrap up in the spring of 2027.

4 days ago

WA toll revenue expected to take big hit because of coronavirus