Mayor: Kenmore 'feeling the crunch' from floating bridge tolls
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KENMORE, Wash. - Tolling on the Highway 520 Bridge is clogging roads in one local community as motorists drive around Lake Washington rather than fork over their dollars to drive across the floating span.
And now officials in that community - Kenmore, at the north end of the lake - say they are worried the problem will get even worse if tolls are placed in Interstate 90.
Kenmore Mayor David Baker says Highway 522 through town is already seeing an increase in traffic, creating more congestion and raising safety concerns.
"We all feel the crunch from toll avoiders," he says.
The traffic in Kenmore has increased at least 10 percent since tolling began on the 520 Bridge, according to Baker.
And residents share his concerns about potential problems from increasing congestion.
"Traffic is going to get a lot worse," says motorist Gaylen Matlock of nearby Bothell. "It's going to take longer to get home, longer to get to work. The roads are going to have a lot more wear and tear."
Highway 522, the Sammamish River Bridge and local streets are the hardest hit.
Kenmore city officials are now asking for mitigation resources from the state to address the impacts from the tolls.
"We just don't have the resources, being a smaller community, to be able to pay for all of the people that are transiting our community," says Mayor Baker.
The money would pay for maintenance of roads and help get traffic through town efficiently.
"I think that more people will drive this (way) instead of having to go across the bridge," says Donna Vanommeren of Bothell. "I don't go across the bridge because I don't want to pay the toll."
The travel times in Kenmore have increased so much that locals are even looking for alternative routes. Some are now taking the bus to get around.
"I think the bus is the best way," says Beker Tabakha. "I work downtown so I have to do this every day. So it's really much better than driving your car."
Meanwhile, the mayor says he just wants their voices heard.
"We understand the problems the Legislature feels. We have a lot of roads, with a lot of serious problems," he says.
The public will have a chance to comment on the proposed I-90 tolls until Feb. 22. To comment, you can fill out an online form, send an email or mail in a form. Details are at the state Department of Transportation's website.
And now officials in that community - Kenmore, at the north end of the lake - say they are worried the problem will get even worse if tolls are placed in Interstate 90.
Kenmore Mayor David Baker says Highway 522 through town is already seeing an increase in traffic, creating more congestion and raising safety concerns.
"We all feel the crunch from toll avoiders," he says.
The traffic in Kenmore has increased at least 10 percent since tolling began on the 520 Bridge, according to Baker.
And residents share his concerns about potential problems from increasing congestion.
"Traffic is going to get a lot worse," says motorist Gaylen Matlock of nearby Bothell. "It's going to take longer to get home, longer to get to work. The roads are going to have a lot more wear and tear."
Highway 522, the Sammamish River Bridge and local streets are the hardest hit.
Kenmore city officials are now asking for mitigation resources from the state to address the impacts from the tolls.
"We just don't have the resources, being a smaller community, to be able to pay for all of the people that are transiting our community," says Mayor Baker.
The money would pay for maintenance of roads and help get traffic through town efficiently.
"I think that more people will drive this (way) instead of having to go across the bridge," says Donna Vanommeren of Bothell. "I don't go across the bridge because I don't want to pay the toll."
The travel times in Kenmore have increased so much that locals are even looking for alternative routes. Some are now taking the bus to get around.
"I think the bus is the best way," says Beker Tabakha. "I work downtown so I have to do this every day. So it's really much better than driving your car."
Meanwhile, the mayor says he just wants their voices heard.
"We understand the problems the Legislature feels. We have a lot of roads, with a lot of serious problems," he says.
The public will have a chance to comment on the proposed I-90 tolls until Feb. 22. To comment, you can fill out an online form, send an email or mail in a form. Details are at the state Department of Transportation's website.
That's right...toll every road...pay, pay, pay. AS LONG AS IT'S GENDER NEUTRAL everything is just hunky-dory!!! If some are wondering what the heck I'm talking about, read the article on what our legislators are spending money on now. We don't have money for roads but we sure as heck have money to pay people to rewrite all our legislation so it's gender neutral. Oh....and our legislators are getting paid to sit there and hash over all the details so it's done.  WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!
 @phoenixabove It became news a few weeks ago. Women's Groups have become powerful lobbying organizations in DC and Washington State. Anytime they want something, officials are generally too afraid to say "NO" and instead simply give them whatever they want. This Gender Neutral bill is an absolute waste of time and money. However, it's getting attention and taking away from pressing issues because a few women are upset. Although, if it did pass, that means the "Violence Against Women Act" would finally have to become gender neutral, right? Oopps! I forgot. Even if the name did become gender neutral, men still don't/ wouldn't have the same resources or even be treated the same when they're the victims of DV/ Assault.  I really wonder what's next for these groups? A bill to jail men after they glanced at women on the streets?
Put a charge everywhere so no one can escape it; you pay for what you use.
 @albion As long as the gas taxes are rescinded Since those already pay for all roads.
"And now officials in that community - Kenmore, at the north end of the lake - say they are worried the problem will get even worse if tolls are placed in Interstate 90." What about Renton? I think that I-90 tolling would drive a lot more toll avoiding traffic through Renton than Kenmore. The state gas tax should pay for highway 522's upkeep, unless Kenmore is somehow responsible for that stretch of 522. Simonds Road/68th Ave NE would be a different story.
 @JAP506 kenmore contracts with king county roads.
I suggest a $5/trip toll between Lacey and Tumwater on I5. Make Olympia pay for its own excessive spending.
tolls are very common all over the country....
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who wants to bet that whiney Mercer Island actually manages to be exempt from tolls? hilarious article in the Seattle Times the other day....
 @SwampThing I just found that article you were talking about. WAY hilarious!! A must read for everyone.
http://seattletimes.com/html/northwestvoices/2020268225_tolls-i-90-lets3.html
 @SwampThing I was thinking the same thing. I bet Mercer Island finds a way to either be exempt all the way or at least have reduced rates. People all over the east coast have to pay tolls regardless of where they are going.
They need to lower the tolls on the 520 to encourage more drives to take the bridge. Â More drivers at a lower toll would me more $$ for the state coffers. Â It has added 20 minutes to my bothell to george town commute. Â Plus get new engineers, who ever is designing some of these road needs to take a look at how other cities build highways. Â I travel a lot and our road designs suck!
 @AS400GURU Exactly! Toll both bridges even but only a $1 each way.
 @AS400GURU Especially the I-5 Bottleneck ! See how stupid they designed this !!!
Communities along the north shores of lake Washington have used the increased traffic to generate revenue.
Kirkland police setup officer productivity speed trap operations the first thing on day 1 of annexation on simonds road.Â
Kenmoore who contracts with KCSO runs speed-traps along the same stretch of Simons Road/171st down to 68th Ave.
Kirkland sometimes with 2 or 3 cars/motorcycle cops wait at the bottom of hill on eastside grabbing anybody doing 37 in a 35 mph zone.
Kenmore often lurks on the west side of the hil just past inglemoore high school looking to generate revenue.
A lousy combination of the current fashion of voters not thinking they need to pay for ANYTHING and a crap construction firm that had a bad track record the state should have noticed and given the contract to someone else.Â
make the toll even higher so I can drive over the lake with little traffic, see I am wealthy and the wealthy should not have to drive with the lower class, good job Washington.
 @nunof uors idiot
 @AS400GURU Clearly the sarcasm went undetected, but name calling is always the best catalyst to an adult conversation.
@AS400GURU @nunof uors  If you don't see the sarcasm in his statement, you are the idiot.Â
Cry me a river. Ask the city fathers of Gig Harbor just how many working-age people bailed out of their city when the Narrows Bridge went to tolling. Now it's a town of retirees, which doesn't do much to generate tax support for city operations.
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Everyone outside of the Emerald Sprawl is tired of paying for the Great King County Commute Improvement. After all, it isn't as if anyone in the Imperial Emerald is gonna see light rail in our lifetimes. Tolls put the burden of paying for roadwork squarely on the shoulders of those who use the roads most and even Tim Eymon can't gripe about that.
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Frankly, they should have tolled the I-5 /I-405 junctions and both floating bridges ten years ago to pay for all this.
Geeze. The state just finished spent $60 million on 522 through your city. It should be smooth sailing now.
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People need an incentive to pay the bridge toll. How about "Lucky License Plate Lottery" with weekly drawings for cash prizes from randomly-picked license plate photos. People might drive back and forth all day to increase their chances.
Actually Bothell way is a state route, if the State wanted to toll that too they probably could.
Well mayor Baker, Then I guess you should propose a toll through your town hmmmm? Gotta love the guilt trip in this article too. "Some people just don't want to pay for the toll" Like somehow we are obligated as a community to simply lay open our wallets every time the MOB wants another cut.  To government (You know who you are) I dont think I need to say the words for you to know what I'm thinking.Â
 @snow surfer They already do. KCSO/Kenmoore cops and kirkland already have speedtrap operations in place
@BuddyHolly @snow surfer Speed trap operations only work if people are speeding.
 @jellyfish  @BuddyHolly  @snow Kirkland issues for 2 over posted. "Productivity" goals are 28 citations written per month per officer
I think it is crazy the 520 tolls both ways but as far as more traffic in Kennmore, that in turns means business should be seeing more patrons. People stopping for gas, food etc...
 @msouthj Why? I've lived in Bothell more than ten years and I travel 522 through Kenmore several times a month. I've shopped at the Safeway maybe a half-dozen times in all those years, twice at the Radio Shack and never at any other place.
Another compelling reason to lower the toll on 520. Â Lower tolls would cause more people to use the bridge, reducing traffic on other routes, and preventing the push for tolling on I-90.
Everybody is feeling the crunch. I used to be able to leave at 7 a.m. and cross I-90 without a massive pile up but now I am sometimes forced to take another route, even pay to cross 520 because those people that took 520 are now taking I-90.Oh and just try coming from the east side of I-90 after 3:30 p.m. --- takes me 30 minutes to go 2 miles.
Keep electing Democrats.
You get Democrat taxes, fees, tolls and other "investments" (along with an endless Obama Recession/ Depression).
 @Attila Republicans are far from innocent when it comes to taxes, fees, tolls and the like.
Build a bridge & they will come, unless of course you erect a toll booth.
The sad thing is, as long as the state is earning their money from it for their own personal profit or whatever else, they're not gonna give a crap!
 @Zoso Since "the state" is comprised of approximately 8 million people and no one I know is receiving and dividend checks from the Washington State Treasury please explain how "the state" is getting any "personal" profit.
Okay, let's look at this in a realistic way. People are not buying your product, a drive across the bridge. Instead, they are driving around, some for miles to no pay the toll. Why would that be? Maybe it's because the toll is TOO MUCH? But instead of looking at that small bit of info, the very not so bright, are talking about adding a toll on the other bridge. What if people take to the side streets? OH wait, they already are! Maybe the toll needs to be DECREASED on 520, and the profit whores can just learn that they might have to extend their little loan. Housing prices going UP, Gasoline at the mercy of profit whores, Food prices going up, yet wages and jobs are staying pretty stagnant. There might be a few clues in here for the issue. Maybe someone can bring out the crayons and finger paints and explain it to you. Pose the question to kids: "Do you think that another toll on I-90 bridge should be put in, or drop the price of the toll on 520?"Â
 @Bob Wagner People are "buying the product".  There are so many people trying to cross the bridge that it backs up for miles.  Part of the reason they are thinking of tolling I-90 is because of how successful the tolling on 520 has been (Successful meaning more people are crossing the bridge and paying the toll than they expected).
 @Bob Wagner Since the tolls are to pay for the bridge they have to be this high else the bridge won't be nearly paid by the time it sinks. If the bridge had been designed to last for 75 years instead of 30 (or less) as evidenced by the crappy pontoon design they could have had a lower toll for a longer period of time. Just one more example of government looking short term for projects that should last for a very long term.
seems like the increased traffic would be good for local businesses.
@dogma22 Like maybe psychiatrists?
I'm shocked McSchwinn hasn't put tolls on the Bike Paths.
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How can I make the letters bigger when I type... DUH!!!
They could start charging tolls to use their city roads, either it will cut the traffic OR get them the money they need to improve the roads.
 @RTNavy They could start charging tolls to whiz and to breathe...
(Maybe Tim I'm-An-Idiot would like that.)
Do you hear that, Renton? Your next on the WSDOT "We'll squeez'em good until we run out of roads to toll" Process of Elimination Toll Plan.
C'mon Inslee - get your WSDOT in order!!!!
 @Throbbinhood OH yes I hear it. I was thinking 405 S will be next. I live just up the hill from exit 5 and I see our traffic getting worse all the time. About doubled after the Landing was built. I miss my little quiet community. Please no I-90 toll.
First off the WSDOT sucks 24/365. There seems to not be a single project too small for them to fu. The bigger the project, the more they screw it up. It used to be, along time ago in a place far-far away, that they could build a world class floating bridge. Now they canât even toll one properly, let alone build one. Eight years of a dissipated old POS, who as Attorney General only cost the taxpayers millions, as Governor cost us billions. We have a âjustice departmentâ staffed with judges more concerned with the rights of the perpetrators than the rights of the victims. There is the department of education, aka the bureau of juvenile propaganda, more concerned with turning out little socialist lemmings walking over the cliff in lock step, then math or science. Forget childrenâs protective services, where every child killed through neglect or abuse is just one less to worry about. The whole state is beyond crises, it is nothing but total failure. What the heck, you just keep voting them back in every election.      Â
I am sure they will find a way to toll that part of 522...or the whole stretch. Â
I drive through there more often now. I know that as a consumer my visiting Kenmore has been good for local businesses. Bought gas from a mom and pop store yesterday, paid the husband his slightly higher price and said hi to his wife who was sweeping the lot. A little traffic to dilute the crackheads really won't hurt a thing. I am totally against tolling though.