Dori, former transportation secretary go head-to-head over toll lanes

It may seem like fewer people are using the I-405 HOV and express lanes since the state made some adjustments to the roadway. However, that may not be the case.

There are, or will be, more people getting where they need to be in those lanes, now that heavier HOV restrictions and tolls have been set in place, former secretary of transportation for the Washington State Department of Transportation Doug MacDonald tells KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson.

When you “clear out” the HOV lanes so they move more freely, they will carry more vehicles, MacDonald explains. Allowing vehicles to move at 45 mph, instead of at a crawl, will allow for more volume with less congestion.

Related: WSDOT misinterprets big rig law on I-405

OK, so those who can afford a toll of up to $10 one way can enjoy a quick drive. But what about the poor or middle class who can’t afford to pay even more simply to drive to work? Dori wonders. Because of new three-plus HOV requirements, those drivers who were carpooling with one other person are now being forced into the general purpose lanes. And that increases congestion, he says.

But there’s a carpenter &#8212 for example &#8212 sitting in I-405 traffic for 2.5 hours who should be at work; and they’ll make more money by getting to work faster in the toll lanes, MacDonald argues.

“But the carpenter who can’t afford it would be in a general purpose lane,” Dori explains. “Nobody is looking out for the little guys.”

MacDonald was working for WSDOT when the “foundation” of the toll lanes were built, he says. There were “a bunch” of people studying the issues with I-405; there were even community meetings.

So why not add more general purpose lanes, instead of creating toll lanes out of existing roadway? By creating gridlock in the general purpose lanes, people are being forced into toll lanes, Dori believes. That generates revenue for the big business and government involved with the project, he says.

“We have a private company in Texas getting 70 percent of the tolls,” he adds. “They have financial incentive to create gridlock.”

WSDOT has said that three-fourths of the tolling revenue will go to operating costs at least for the first five years.

Adding general purpose lanes isn’t going to happen, MacDonald explains. It’s too expensive and faces too much resistance. MacDonald says there is no incentive to create gridlock to make money.

The state’s law reads, “If after two years of operation of the express toll lanes on Interstate 405 performance measures listed in subsection (4)(a) and (e) of this section are not being met, the express toll lanes project must be terminated as soon as practicable.”

The subsections include maintaining speeds of at least 45 mph 90 percent of the time during peak hours in the express lanes and generating enough revenue to pay for operating costs.

“No incentive to create gridlock?” Dori asks again.

As far as MacDonald knows, no, there is no financial incentive. “I would take that to the bank if I were you,” he adds.

“Oh, I won’t,” Dori quips. “I won’t go to a bank on that one.”