HIGHWAY 99 TUNNEL: Next round of toll talk

(WSDOT photo from December, southbound tunnel portal)

As reported on Wednesday, the Highway 99 tunnel might be ready to open this fall, instead of early next year. But the matter of tunnel tolls hasn’t been settled yet. The Washington State Transportation Commission, which has to set the rates, will talk about it again next Wednesday afternoon. This time, the focus will be on listening to feedback from the city, county, and port. They’re on the WSTC agenda for 1 pm Wednesday (January 17th) in Olympia. The commission won’t be making a decision before September, but there is public comment at day’s end on Wednesday (4:45 pm), and there will be opportunities when there’s a formal tolling proposal this summer. If you want to comment to the commission sooner, here’s how. (Backstory: Here’s our previous update on the tolling issue.)

9 Replies to "HIGHWAY 99 TUNNEL: Next round of toll talk"

  • gxnx January 11, 2018 (5:15 pm)

    Peak times 4am to 11pm

    West Seattle Bridge toll $10-50 

    99 toll- $20-$70

    Highway 509-$20 all times

    Road blocks at 35th Roxbury – W.Seattle resident have to show IDs, pay $500/yr to go thru and non resident pays $10 each way

    Welcome to the Island of West Seattle.

  • Bad DNA January 11, 2018 (8:20 pm)

    GXNX, You forgot about the bicycles and parking in the promised land…

    Bicycles should pay $2.50 per mile and $4.50 an hour to park your car  anywhere in West Seattle. Alki and the Junction are $10.00 an hour.

    What about the Bus riders, They should have to pay extra…

    With all this extra money for the promised land, what could we spend it on?

    A dome, so we can regulate the sun and rain fall. lol

  • gxnx January 11, 2018 (9:46 pm)

    I see the future I see the future

    I see the future I see the future

    Remember, the power company had the saving program that if
    you wash the load at 3am,you get a big reduce rate..so what happen?

    Lincoln Park admission is $30, $15/mile for running and have
    to wear tracker.

    All new cars are equipped with portable GPS and they charge
    you for running per mile in the park and Alki beach ( part of the Carbon tax).

    Dog park admission is $30 plus $500 (for privilege license to
    own a pet) plus $15/mile run

    Fish /crabs/squid/shrimp-caught at Alki-$50/lb

  • KBear January 11, 2018 (10:29 pm)

    Infrastructure costs money. We all have to pay for it. Just because you don’t get a free magic carpet to 1st & Seneca doesn’t mean this project is wrongly designed or won’t benefit you. 

    • Mary January 12, 2018 (7:33 am)

      Hear, hear!

  • wetone January 12, 2018 (11:14 am)

    Tolls should be held to what tax payers were told at conception of tunnel (under $2.) as we will be held responsible for paying most all cost over runs involved whether tunnel, waterfront rebuild, ferry terminal, related infrastructure work, building structure related issues caused all these projects,  with increased yearly taxes soon coming. Seattle gov has done very very poor job with all this new growth. Catering well towards tourism and rich, but does little for 80% of people living in the north west . Throw in Gov. Inslee’s insane carbon taxes he wants and soon Seattle will be home of the rich and homeless.  Family’s along with blue color workers will be forced away due to taxes and cost/time involved with daily commute. Don’t forget your yearly cost going to ST3 that will be outdated before it’s built ;)  Money’s spent on tunnel should of been spent on adding lanes to I-5, as that’s the sticking point for most all traffic in area. 

  • bolo January 12, 2018 (1:08 pm)

    Am I correct in remembering there was a common mantra of ~$1 toll as part of the sales pitch for the tunnel in its early days?

  • MJ January 13, 2018 (12:56 pm)

    In exchange for paying a toll WSDOT needs to guarantee travel speeds near the posted limit.  Paying a toll to be stuck in traffic is BS

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