Transportation Commission Considers Names, Bridge Tolls and Safety
Posted 4.13.06
Olympia Headquarters - PO Box 47308 - Olympia, WA 98504-7308
(360) 705-7070
Date: April 13, 2006
| Contacts: |
Reema Griffith, Transportation Commission
Executive Director,
360-705-7070 |
OLYMPIA – Next week in Olympia, the Washington
State Transportation Commission will receive a report on public attitudes
toward tolling and will discuss possible toll reductions for the Tacoma
Narrows Bridge. The Commission will also engage members of the Traffic
Safety Commission on the state’s strategic highway safety plan,
and will be considering proposals to name a bridge in Lakewood and designate
a section of highway in Eastern Washington.
The Commission’s monthly meeting will start at 9 a.m. on Tuesday,
April 18, and reconvenes at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 19. In addition,
the Commission’s work team for the Washington Transportation
Plan will meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 17, and the work team for
the Transportation Innovative Partnerships will meet at 3:30 p.m. on
Wednesday, April 19. All meetings will be held at the Transportation
Building, 310 Maple Park Avenue SE in Olympia, and are open to the
public.
On Tuesday, the Commission will receive the results of a statewide
survey measuring public attitudes toward tolls. The report is part
of the Commission’s comprehensive tolling study (www.wstc.wa.gov/Tolling/default.htm).
The information presented will be incorporated into the study’s
final report and recommendations that will be submitted to the Legislature
later this year.
Also on Tuesday, the Commission will take action on two naming proposals;
one that calls for naming the Berkley Street Bridge over Interstate
5 in Pierce County the “Freedom Bridge,” and another that
would designate State Route 22 between Interstate 82 and US 97 near
Toppenish as a “Blue Star Memorial Highway.” Blue Star
highways are sponsored by garden clubs and are living tributes to service
men and women. The Transportation Commission has named many transportation
facilities over the decades and has a policy that requires the demonstration
of strong community support for a proposal, as well as support from
the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
During Wednesday’s meeting, WSDOT staff will discuss with the
Commission possible toll-level reductions for motorists who use electronic
toll devices when crossing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The ability for
the Commission to set electronically-collected tolls at a reduced rate
was made possible by a legislative budget appropriation that provided
a subsidy for limited toll reductions. The Commission will be setting
the actual toll amounts later this year. Drivers will have the option
of paying their toll electronically or manually. Commissioners will
also hear an update on the convening of a nine-member Governor appointed
Toll Citizen Advisory Committee for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The
citizen committee will advise the Commission prior to the tolls being
set.
Also on Wednesday, executives of the Traffic Safety Commission will
present the Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which plays
an important part in the Transportation Commission’s development
of the Washington Transportation Plan being released later this year.
Both plans play vital roles in determining federal and state funding
levels for traffic safety and other key transportation needs in the
state.
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