SR-509 & SR-167 first test

by Joel Moreno, KOMO News Reporter

SEATTLE — A final vote has now changed what drivers will pay every time they use two specific toll roads. For some motorists, the price will soon be cut in half. For everyone else, the bill will stay the same.

In a 6-0 vote, members of the Washington State Transportation Commission created the state’s first low-income toll discount program for the SR 509 and SR 167 Expressways.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Washington State Transportation Commission considers low-income toll discount program

Qualifying drivers will receive a 50% discount off the standard Good To Go! toll rate for two-axle vehicles. State transportation officials will begin enrolling eligible drivers this fall, with the reduced rates taking effect as early as December.

Supporters said it would ease the financial burden on families struggling to make ends meet. At the same time, the discount program has others contending that if tolls are too expensive, everyone should get a break.

The program represents years of work after the Legislature directed the commission in 2019 to study ways to make toll roads more affordable for lower-income residents. Last year, lawmakers directed the commission and the Washington State Department of Transportation to implement a low-income toll program, starting with the SR 509 and SR 167 corridors.

To qualify, households must earn no more than 200% of the federal poverty level. Under current guidelines, that means an individual making no more than $31,920 annually or a family of four earning less than about $66,000.

The program is meant to recognize that tolls can place a disproportionate burden on people living paycheck to paycheck. The discounts are intended to improve access to jobs and essential services by reducing transportation costs for lower-income families.

Critics, however, question whether the program creates two classes of drivers on the same highways. Some drivers oppose tolls altogether, while others said that any reduction in rates should apply equally to all motorists rather than a limited group based on income.

Some motorists interviewed by KOMO News said they welcome helping families in poverty but contend tolls have become expensive for middle-income households as well.

The SR 509 Expressway opened in June last year, and tolling began in September. Drivers currently pay variable tolls based on the day, time, and direction of travel.

Good To Go! Rates range from $1.20 to $2.40, while motorists without a pass pay significantly more by mail.

The first segment of the SR 167 Expressway is expected to open later this year. Once completed, drivers will pay tolls at two separate locations along the route.

The commission plans to monitor the program’s financial performance and participation rates before considering expanding discounted tolls to other state toll facilities.