Latest news with #WashingtonStateTransportationCommission
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tolling delay on I-5 bridge could mean higher rates for Washington and Oregon drivers.
More than 131,000 drivers crossed the Interstate Bridge between Portland and Vancouver each day in 2021 compared to 33,000 in 1961. (Grant Stringer/States Newsroom) Tolling on the Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River will start a year later than planned – but drivers traveling between Washington and Oregon may pay a little more than originally forecast as a result. Tolling in both directions on the existing bridge will be one of the first things the public experiences once construction of a replacement bridge gets underway. It is also a critical source of funding to help cover the cost of the project, which could range from $5 billion to $7.5 billion. For months,it's been projected that toll collections would begin on the existing bridge early next year when construction of the replacement bridge was expected to start. Project managers now say tolling won't start before the summer of 2027, likely after the megaproject is underway. On Friday, a panel of transportation commissioners from each state pondered how best to avoid losing out on a year's worth of revenue. The Bi-State Tolling Subcommittee recommended sticking to the initial toll rate shared with the public over months of meetings, but the committee said rates should increase enough in the second and third years to make up for the year delay. Each state's transportation commission must approve the recommendation. If that happens, work will begin to detail how much revenue can be generated from different toll rates. Several possible rate scenarios are under review. These have one-way rates ranging from $1.55 to $4.70 with higher prices during peak travel times. It is assumed rates will rise on a yearly or biannual basis. In separate meetings this month, the Washington State Transportation Commission and Oregon Transportation Commission learned about the different options for making up for the year's loss of collections. On Tuesday, Washington commissioner Debbie Young said that in the first year it was important to let the public know they would 'keep the toll rate that we said we would.' She supported increasing it more in the ensuing years to catch up. Other commissioners agreed with the approach – as long as the target for toll receipts is met. 'We want to finish this with a bridge,' Commissioner Nicole Grant said. Delayed toll collections are a byproduct of slower-than-planned progress on other parts of the project. The final analysis of the project's environmental impacts won't be done until the end of the year. Officials with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program said in a statement that they expect to get a key federal approval known as an amended record of decision in early 2026. It is needed before construction-related contracts can be issued. 'Our federal agency partners have provided us with our current schedule,' the statement reads, adding construction is expected to begin sometime in 2026. Based on that schedule, planners now anticipate cars would begin driving across a new bridge in 2032 or 2033 and construction would last at least 10 to 15 years through the five-mile corridor on either side of the bridge. Meanwhile, Washington state lawmakers passed legislation allowing for a huge increase in the amount of toll revenues assumed for the multi-year project. House Bill 1958, which awaits action by Gov. Bob Ferguson, would authorize the state to sell up to $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds, $900 million more than assumed when the bill was first introduced in February. With significant cost increases on major highway and bridge projects in recent years, backers have said it made sense to recalibrate but doing so doesn't mean the state will necessarily seek higher bonding capacity. Bonds, a long-assumed source of financing for the new span, would pay for design and construction, as well as future maintenance and operation. The borrowed money would be repaid with toll proceeds, gas taxes and vehicle fees. Because the bonds would be backed by 'the full faith and credit of the state,' the general fund could be tapped as a last-resort source of repayment. Because Washington will be administering the tolling program, it is the one that needs to issue the bonds.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tolling delay on I-5 bridge could mean higher rates for Oregon, Washington drivers
Tens of thousands of people use the Interstate 5 Bridge every day. (Photo courtesy of Interstate Bridge Replacement Program) Tolling on the Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River will start a year later than planned — but drivers traveling between Washington and Oregon may pay a little more than originally forecast as a result. Tolling in both directions on the existing bridge will be one of the first things the public experiences once construction of a replacement bridge gets underway. It is also a critical source of funding to help cover the cost of the project, which could range from $5 billion to $7.5 billion. For months,it's been projected that toll collections would begin on the existing bridge early next year when construction of the replacement bridge was expected to start. Project managers now say tolling won't start before the summer of 2027, likely after the megaproject is underway. On Friday, a panel of transportation commissioners from each state pondered how best to avoid losing out on a year's worth of revenue. The Bi-State Tolling Subcommittee recommended sticking to the initial toll rate shared with the public over months of meetings, but the committee said rates should increase enough in the second and third years to make up for the year delay. Each state's transportation commission must approve the recommendation. If that happens, work will begin to detail how much revenue can be generated from different toll rates. Several possible rate scenarios are under review. These have one-way rates ranging from $1.55 to $4.70 with higher prices during peak travel times. It is assumed rates will rise on a yearly or biannual basis. In separate meetings this month, the Washington State Transportation Commission and Oregon Transportation Commission learned about the different options for making up for the year's loss of collections. On Tuesday, Washington commissioner Debbie Young said that in the first year it was important to let the public know they would 'keep the toll rate that we said we would.' She supported increasing it more in the ensuing years to catch up. Other commissioners agreed with the approach – as long as the target for toll receipts is met. 'We want to finish this with a bridge,' Commissioner Nicole Grant said. Delayed toll collections are a byproduct of slower-than-planned progress on other parts of the project. The final analysis of the project's environmental impacts won't be done until the end of the year. Officials with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program said in a statement that they expect to get a key federal approval known as an amended record of decision in early 2026. It is needed before construction-related contracts can be issued. 'Our federal agency partners have provided us with our current schedule,' the statement reads, adding construction is expected to begin sometime in 2026. Based on that schedule, planners now anticipate cars would begin driving across a new bridge in 2032 or 2033 and construction would last at least 10 to 15 years through the five-mile corridor on either side of the bridge. Meanwhile, Washington state lawmakers passed legislation allowing for a huge increase in the amount of toll revenues assumed for the multi-year project. House Bill 1958, which awaits action by Gov. Bob Ferguson, would authorize the state to sell up to $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds, $900 million more than assumed when the bill was first introduced in February. With significant cost increases on major highway and bridge projects in recent years, backers have said it made sense to recalibrate but doing so doesn't mean the state will necessarily seek higher bonding capacity. Bonds, a long-assumed source of financing for the new span, would pay for design and construction, as well as future maintenance and operation. The borrowed money would be repaid with toll proceeds, gas taxes and vehicle fees. Because the bonds would be backed by 'the full faith and credit of the state,' the general fund could be tapped as a last-resort source of repayment. Because Washington will be administering the tolling program, it is the one that needs to issue the bonds. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Public deserves to be heard on Washington transit projects
Our state is blessed with mountain ranges, fertile farmland, great forests, ocean beaches, hundreds of rivers and creeks, and an inland sea called Puget Sound. Our geography and resources have nurtured an economy that is a leading producer of hops, apples, cherries, seafood, wheat, dairy, aerospace and technology. This diverse economy and complex geography require diversified and complex transportation systems to move people and products every day while addressing future challenges and issues that will face our state. The state highway and ferry systems are the backbones of our state's transportation system and the muscles that make the greater transportation network function are miles of city streets and county roads, transit systems, ports, freight and passenger railroads, shipping lines, trucking companies and many other partners. Hundreds of funding sources — gas taxes, bridge tolls, bus tickets, train fares, vehicle registration fees, county road taxes, transit fares, sales taxes, local ballot measures — fund our transportation infrastructure. The Washington State Transportation Commission, a small, independent state agency, is a citizen-based body with members from everywhere in Washington. For over 30 years, the commission has worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation, cities, counties, transit agencies, tribes and other private and public transportation providers and users bringing the public forum in person to all corners of the state as the state's 20-year Washington Transportation Plan is updated and advanced. In addition, the commission serves as the state tolling authority and the transportation research arm for the Legislature. Now, in Senate Bill 5801, that will add $10 billion in transportation taxes to improve the transportation system, the Legislature proposes to gut the public forum aspect for the development of transportation policy. It is unclear whether any state agency would have that role. Although budget bills are not intended to make policy, in the back of the bill under the heading 'Miscellaneous,' that's exactly what is being proposed. As former officers of the Transportation Commission, we laud the Department of Transportation for its operation of our complex and diverse state transportation systems. However, only an independent body that neither owns nor operates any transportation infrastructure without that inherent bias can fairly envision and evaluate — with public engagement — how the transportation systems in general are performing and how the Washington Transportation Plan should evolve over the next twenty years. People, businesses, local governments and tribes all need and deserve the transparent, balanced approach to an integrated system of statewide transportation planning in the Washington Transportation Plan that has been provided by the Transportation Commission for over 30 years. The best stewardship of scarce public resources and the billions of taxpayer dollars we spend on transportation, requires a stronger role for integrated statewide transportation system planning driven by public engagement, not its elimination as proposed in SB 5801. We urge the Legislature to leave the Transportation Commission's statutory authority without modification and retain its valuable planning and policy role. Anne Haley is a Tacoma native and chairman of the Board of Brown & Haley. She chaired the Washington State Library Commission, and headed the Walla Walla Public Library for 20 years and the Yakima Valley Library District for five years. Jerry Litt was born and raised in rural Eastern Washington and spent 44 years as a planner/community development professional, 28 years in the public sector on both sides of the state and 16 years of private sector consulting for developers, small towns, counties, ports and economic agencies. Tom Cowan served three terms as San Juan County Commissioner and is a past president of the Washington State Association of Counties.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Washington could be losing money as some drivers have been swinging free rides on SR 167 for years
The state may be losing millions of dollars because some drivers are getting a free ride on SR 167. This is as we, too, learn for the first time — some HOT lane drivers are riding for free! The HOT lanes on SR 167 are free if you don't have a Good to Go! transponder. That was news to us until today's monthly meeting of the Washington State Transportation Commission. That's when we found out there are no license plate readers to force those drivers to pay the toll. In fact, none of the drivers we talked to knew about this. With no license plate reader, those who don't have a transponder — aren't paying at all. Some drivers in the HOT lanes on SR 167 are driving entirely for free. Katelynne Lee of Eatonville says she has never gotten a bill, 'not for 167.' She said she did not know why. In fact, KIRO 7 just uncovered it. Drivers don't need a passenger to avoid the toll in the HOT lanes if they don't have the Good to Go! transponder. It was news to Marcellis Pipkin, too. He says he never pays a toll on SR 167 because he never drives in the HOT lanes since he is usually 'by myself.' He was asked if he knew he could drive in the HOT lanes. 'By myself?' he asked. He confirmed he doesn't have a transponder so, there is no way to read his license plate. 'Oh,' replied Pipkin. This came to light as the Washington State Transportation Commission was holding its monthly meeting. Most of the meeting was devoted to the toll rates that are increasing across King County and parts of Pierce County, but there was also a portion of the meeting dedicated to the plan to install license plate reading technology on SR 167, something that it has apparently never had in the seven years the state has been collecting tolls. That means there is no pay by mail. Carl See, WTSC deputy director, was asked if they know how much money the state is losing. 'I'd have to refer you to WSDOT on that to talk about those kind of things,' See said. 'But it certainly is a problem with leakage, evasion... however you want to talk about that.' Maybe so, but it was music to the ears of the drivers we talked to. 'I'm not mad at not paying,' said Pipkin, laughing. 'I'm not complaining about free.' You could still get into trouble. The Washington State Patrol is supposed to enforce the law on this roadway, when they are here anyway. We called the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to follow up on this, but they told us they don't have that data right at hand. So, we'll keep pushing until we get the answers.
