HIGHWAY 99: Tolling in 2 weeks; Viaduct remainders

| Alaskan Way Viaduct | Highway 99 tunnel | West Seattle news

Two Highway 99 notes tonight:

(That’s about to change! WSB photo from August)

TUNNEL TOLLING IN 2 WEEKS: Saturday, November 9th, is now just two weeks away, and that’s the day WSDOT plans to start tolling the tunnel, nine months after it opened. Toll rates are here – extra charges if you don’t have a Good To Go! sticker pass and account, as explained here. There’s still time to get the sticker free by going here.

VIADUCT REMAINDERS: If you thought the Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition was complete – not so, explains WSDOT here. [corrected link]

Pilsner October 26, 2019 (9:21 pm)

I vote for no toll for 8 axles.

Tsurly October 27, 2019 (6:53 am)

I vote for a higher toll for 8 axles. You will cause far more damage/wear and tear to the road than anyone else.

Olafur October 26, 2019 (9:23 pm)

Can’t find any mention of WSDOT’s promised new payment system, which I believe was supposed to charge credit cards directly, without requiring the initial $30 deposit. Have they now abandoned this plan?

chemist October 26, 2019 (10:47 pm)

They removed the reference to “Pay As You Go” that appeared this summer I don’t think the plan was abandoned, but WSDOT was unhappy with the new toll vendor’s progress and delayed through the end of the year switching to the new system/extended the prior vendor’s contract. They’ve been mum on stating when they’ll switch to the new system ever since.

“Or, you can wait until later this summer to open your account. We will be introducing a new payment option, called Pay As You Go, which does not require a $30 Pre-Paid balance. Your tolls will be charged to your credit card after traveling the toll facility.”
- WSB October 26, 2019 (10:56 pm)
  
  In July, WSDOT said “sometime (in) winter.”
  https://wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2019/07/getting-ready-for-sr-99-tunnel-tolling.html

ITotallyAgreeWithYou October 26, 2019 (11:07 pm)

From an email update in July from WSDOT: “We are transitioning to a new Good To Go! billing system, one that will include several new features for our customers. This includes the option to open a new Good To Go! account without a pre-paid balance, called Pay As You Go. This option will allow tolls to be charged to your credit card after you travel.Recently it became clear that our billing system vendor, ETAN, needs additional time to test the new system. We are dedicated to you having as seamless an experience as possible while we work with ETAN to transition to this new system and upgraded features. So the new Pay As You Go option, a feature ETAN is developing within the new system, will be available sometime after SR 99 tolling starts.While we are disappointed that you won’t have access to the new features just yet, everyone will be able to switch to the new Pay As You Go option when it is available sometime this winter.”

Kat October 27, 2019 (6:46 am)

What are the times the toll is billed? What time does it start in the am then stop in pm? What about weekends and holidays?

WSB October 27, 2019 (8:45 am)

There is no toll-free period. The story links to what tolls are charged at which times.

Mabuhay October 27, 2019 (8:19 am)

I have read this multiple times, and still not clear to me: we have an existing GTG pass on our car. Do we also need to add the sticker to it for the tunnel? Thanks!

WSB October 27, 2019 (8:44 am)

The WSDOT page linked says an existing GTG pass will work for the 99 tunnel.

Steve October 27, 2019 (9:16 am)

Good To Go! is by far the most inept use of technology I have ever seen. This should be pretty simple and other states have it down, but not us.

West Seattle residents are in for a lot of headaches. (phantom charges, inconsistent pass scanning, poorly implemented website, lack of billing transparency, slow customer service response)

Hopefully the new system with be MUCH better than the current one.