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State Transportation Commission approves proposal for 2008 Tacoma Narrows Bridge tolls
Posted
4.7.08
Transportation Commission
Office - PO Box 47308 -
Olympia, WA 98504-7308
(360) 705-7070
Date: April 7, 2008
| Contact: |
Reema
Griffith, Transportation
Commission Executive
Director, 360-705-7070 |
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E-mail: transc@wsdot.wa.gov |
OLYMPIA – The Washington Transportation Commission today approved a proposal to increase the current toll rates for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The Commission is proposing a cash toll of $4.00 and an electronic toll of $2.75 that will be effective from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.
The $1.00 increase over current toll rates was deemed necessary to meet the financial obligations associated with the bridge. Bonds for the bridge construction costs must be paid every six months and the Commission wanted to maintain a discount for drivers with Good To Go! electronic toll accounts. Those two variables led to the need to increase toll rates.
“We’re following the recommendations made by the Citizen Advisory Committee which wanted to continue an incentive for those with Good To Go! accounts. But, because up to 75 percent of drivers are now using electronic tolling, we couldn’t continue the current toll rates and still pay all our bills,” said Commission Chairman Dick Ford. “The Citizen Advisory Committee came up with the lowest toll rates that still generate the necessary revenues and the Commission approved that recommendation.”
Today’s action begins a public comment period through May 27, 2008. The Commission has scheduled a public input meeting on May 20 from 6 – 8 p.m. at The Inn at Gig Harbor, 3211 56th Street NW, Gig Harbor. The public is encouraged to attend this meeting and offer comments on the toll rate proposal. The Commission will then hold a final hearing on May 27 at the same time and location, where it will take additional public comment and adopt the final toll rates for the bridge.
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