Tolls could go up on Tacoma Narrows and 520 Bridges
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OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Drivers should brace for higher costs to travel on the 520 Bridge and on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge after a state Transportation commission voted to raise tolls Tuesday afternoon.
The commission had a number of options to consider, from no change to substantial increases.
Senator Nathan Schlicher says businesses in his district near Gig Harbor are hit hard by tolls on the Narrows and the cost of taking a ferry across the water.
"We're seeing significant impact on our economy," he said. "Businesses don't want to locate here because we have automatic tariffs in place for their goods to get to market."
But in order to pay for the building of the bridge, the tolls must go up.
"We're not crazy about setting rates," said transportation commission chair Dan O'Neal. "We don't dream about how we can increase tolls. The reason we do it is the state has an obligation to pay its bills."
The commission decided that increase needs to be $0.25 beginning July 1 and another 25 cents next year. And for the 520 bridge, the commission voted an increase of 2.5 percent across all toll rates. That means the peak toll across 520 would go up to $3.70.
But it's not a done deal just yet. The recommendation's been made, but unless lawmakers give the commission the authority to move forward, the rates won't go up.
There are public hearings scheduled over the next two months.
The commission had a number of options to consider, from no change to substantial increases.
Senator Nathan Schlicher says businesses in his district near Gig Harbor are hit hard by tolls on the Narrows and the cost of taking a ferry across the water.
"We're seeing significant impact on our economy," he said. "Businesses don't want to locate here because we have automatic tariffs in place for their goods to get to market."
But in order to pay for the building of the bridge, the tolls must go up.
"We're not crazy about setting rates," said transportation commission chair Dan O'Neal. "We don't dream about how we can increase tolls. The reason we do it is the state has an obligation to pay its bills."
The commission decided that increase needs to be $0.25 beginning July 1 and another 25 cents next year. And for the 520 bridge, the commission voted an increase of 2.5 percent across all toll rates. That means the peak toll across 520 would go up to $3.70.
But it's not a done deal just yet. The recommendation's been made, but unless lawmakers give the commission the authority to move forward, the rates won't go up.
There are public hearings scheduled over the next two months.
strange...if you think about it, that tacoma narrows is done. shouldnt the current toll cover the cost to service the debt and pay it off over the time they estimated that it would take? If you think of it like a mortgate, we borrowed money to pay for the bridge. Aside from the maintenance costs, shouldn't the cost of building the bridge be a known thing? The bridge got built and the mortgage is then being serviced. If they are raising the rates, they are saying that 1) we aren't collecteting enough to pay off the bridge during the original timeline or they want more money to pay for other projects. Which is it? i seems that instead of a 30 year conventional loan to pay it off, we are have an ARM.Â
This is a bureaucrat's dream - a tax that can be raised at any time by an unelected commission. Cha - Ching!
@70MonteCarlo wrong....
"But it's not a done deal just yet. The recommendation's been made, but unless lawmakers give the commission the authority to move forward, the rates won't go up."
It still has to be approved by lawmakers. Granted, that is almost certain
Lets see - The State says they are right where they projected on toll collections -even with the drop in usage once the tolls went into place on 520? All I see with this proposal is the state trying to make up for their "Budget mismanagement" by raising the tolls. The economy will never turn around the way the goverment keeps spending our money.  Just look at the great  job they are doing managing the new 520 pontoon project over budget and behind - all on our dime.
Washington State is getting pretty GREEDY with their tolls. Â I moved to Tampa Bay last year and this is the LAND OF BRIDGES with tolls. Â Not one of the tolls is over $3.00. Â Even for the NEW Sunshine Skyway Bridge (a beaut) it is only $2.25 to go over it one way. Â Washington State is getting GREEDY, pure and simple. Â
@Slingerss Not just greedy, but foolish, the higher the tolls, the fewer the travelers...and so the revenue declines, so they think to raise it, even fewer travelers...huh, does anyone see the trend? Are there any lights on in Olympia at all???
This is just another example of how out of touch government is. When I moved to Gig Harbor a year ago, my wife and I (who both work in Tacoma) drove to work separately every day. On weekends we crossed the bridge at least twice for shopping and dinner. When they raised the toll, I changed my work schedule and we started to carpool. So, the state lost out on 5 tolls a week and the taxes from the extras gas that we are no longer using. We have cut our weekend trips to maybe once a weekend.
I know quite a few people who have done the same thing as our family. Politicians are too dumb to realize that people will adjust their lifestyle to keep from paying high tolls. As far as the Narrows goes, leave the toll for the "Good to Go" users at 4.00 and jack up the toll to 6.00 for people using the toll plaza and 10.00 for the drivers who run through without paying at all.Â
@JK15 if you drive though without paying you get a ticket in the mail. It happened to me. I had to pay $28 or somewhere around there. So....more people need to drive through.....lets make the signs more confusing so more people run through them. :)
I haven't been across the bridge since they started tolling it and I don't plan to now. All this does is isolate Tacoma from Gig Harbor and fleece the people who have to drive over it for work.
Coasta Rica or Belize for me in another 15 years. I was born and raised here, thought I'd retire and die here as well. But as soon as I retire Olympia and everyone from the then governor on down (most likely one of Queen Quagmire's kids) can all get in line and kiss my back side. I'm so done living in the taxation with no representation state that we've become.
We have reps, but none of them represent us in any kind of benificial way
Another piece of the puzzle to consider is unemployment. Due to the economy and unemployment, a .lot less peoplle are crossing the bridge to go to work Â
This should be against the Law. The tolls you pay should only be collected to pay off the Bridge your crossing. Once the bridge is paid for the the tolls should stop. It's like extortion.................... you paying to cross a bridge that's already paid for.Â
How exactly does this even work? The tolls on the narrows bridge were implimented for one thing and one thing only: to pay for the narrows bridge. No where does it say that those tolls are to be used for other projects! Pay the bridge off and then get rid of the toll booths!
@TheBronze Thats exactly right. It's extortion! They'd be forcing you to pay again for something that's already paid for.
It is not the tolls that are so onerous for the casual traveler, it is the difficulty in paying on the 520. The Narrows bridge with it's cash toll booth is no problem.
funny - all the options they had ranging from "no change" to "substantial increases"........no mention of a "decrease tolls so more people actually use the bridges" option.
 Tolls to go up?????  NOT TILL EVERY NICKEL THAT IS NOW BEING EXTRACTED FROM THE PUBLIC IS ACCOUNTED FOR. Then and only then have this discussion.
I don't think less people started crossing the bridge. I think people started making only one trip a day, instead of sometimes 2. This is poor planning on the states part. They planned for the max amount of passes over the bridge, but they didn't plan for people starting to wise up and do everything in one trip. Â
For people like me that have commuted over the Narrows for 10+ years, i no longer make 2 trips across a couple times a week. Especially with the cost of fuel as high as it is now. On top of it, i work graveyard, so i have to wait around for 2+ hours for anything to open when i get off work, when i used to just go home and then drive back to it.
But again, our fearless leaders didn't anticipate that scenario, when they could and should have.
@VoiceofReason Do you think legislators care about the constituents? No all they care about is gaining power & $$$
Why even bother with the public meeting ?? I know so they can feel important and hear themselves talk ..All I hear is bah bah bah bah
Hum...they need cash to pay for the billion dollar mess they have with the 520 bridge. Â Â
Tax his land, tax his wage,
Tax his bed in which he lays.
Tax his tractor, tax his mule,
Teach him taxes is the rule.
Tax his cow, tax his goat,
Tax his pants, tax his coat.
Tax his ties, tax his shirts,
Tax his work, tax his dirt.
Etc. Etc. Etc...
"The commission had a number of options to consider, from no change to substantial increases." Yeah, like they're even gonna consider not increasing. "We don't dream about how we can increase tolls. The reason we do it is the state has an obligation to pay its bills." But they sure as hell don't seem to have an obligation to keep a balanced budget like the rest of us apparently!
We have no one to blame but ourselves. The people allegedly representing us in Olympia keep getting voted back into office. What should we expect?
You want to have a peaceful revolt. Â Everyone keep using the toll ways but stop paying the tolls. Â If everyone did this they might start getting the hint. Â This is the optimistic view.
Here is the pessimistic one. Â None of these people are going to get the hint until there is another armed revolution in this country. Â That is why the government is so actively trying to get our guns. Â They know it is coming.
@FBrumfield
If you donât pay the tax (toll) you will not be able to renew your DL.It s all automatic, no court, no judge, no justice.
@oldster70 @FBrumfield  And why do we bother with licenses? If we are going to rebel, go all the way.
Olympia, here I come. Â Those bridges can rot in hell.
OF COURSE the State Transportation Commission voted to raise the tolls. They need more of our money to waste!
I wonder who verifies the state's cash intake from tolls and how creative accounting is being prevented?
If a few people make a deal with a few more ..... who actually knows how many cash waving cars actually came across!Â
http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/2817
Interesting little factoid... I was just looking at the financial statements of the TNBF and found that their revenue was reduced to half between 2010 and 2011. I think the powers that be are missing the reason for this decline in revenue... here is a little tip, its not because people dont WANT to go to Gig Harbor, but it's becoming too expensive.........so....considering in 2000 the annual traffic was at around 32 million cars annually they could easily reduce the fare to $1 and gain the traffic back.... just a thought...
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Tolling/TNBTolling/TNBLibrary.htm
All those fuel taxes just pissed away like warm beer at a frat party.Â
@Blindman such an eloquent turn of phrase
I am out of Washifornia in three years.
@missyk Bye
@missyk Just don't move to an income tax state or your screwed!
Thanks Christine. Can't wait to see what the tunnel in Seattle  will cost us. The suspense is killing me.
@missyk Don't thank Christine, Thank the developers who own the million dollar views on the Seattle waterfront for lobbying the state to bury the tunnel so their property value triples after they tear down the Viaduct.
@32jim2 @missyk There is certainly enough love to pass around.
@Susabelle But not enough Money!
Okay I will thank they all.
One other thing, I hate how Komo and Denise Whitaker phrase this: "Drivers should brace for"
"Brace for?!" What the hell? This is surrenderist  mentality. It's not like the government is an unstoppable force of nature that we must cower in front of and get out of the way of.Â
The article should state: Drivers should be pissed off that un-elected bureaucrats decided to raise taxes on them, and then those drivers should go picket outside of those bureaucrats' houses.Â
@NW-Economist the government has the power over the potholes and we either pay them taxes or the tire shop for tires and alignment all the time.
@32jim2Â @NW-EconomistI see volunteer organizations out filling potholes all the time. Why do we need the government to do that?
@32jim2 @NW-Economist And your point being...We "the taxpayers" are already on the hook for between $100-200 million dollars for a botched 520 bridge design. We "the taxpayers" will be seeing a 10 cent increase in gas taxes as well. There is a limit at some point.
In a republic this rule ought to be observed: that the majority should not have the predominant power.
Marcus Tullius Cicero
@Funky-Munky We the People ( the majority) no longer have the power. The "minority" who run the government does.
@32jim2 @Funky-Munky Are they the minority? Cause if that's the case what's your excuse and mine for allowing our country to go to ruins?
@32jim2Â Â You missed both points completely.... We have a majority rule in place... It's a Democratic majority.....
yes our elected officials that screw us are the minority.