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PHOTO BY JOHN LARSON

CONFOUNDED BRIDGE. A citizen speaks against raising tolls in front of Tacoma Narrows Bridge Citizen Advisory Committee during its Nov. 18 meeting in Gig Harbor.

Toll increase for Narrows Bridge appears likely

By John Larson

Another toll increase on the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge appears likely in the near future. Although tolls increased by $1 this summer, projected revenues needed to cover the costs of the bridge do not appear to be sufficient, despite the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) claim at the time of the increase that there would not be another rate increase for two years.

One factor is high gasoline prices, which caused Gig Harbor residents to cut back on trips to Tacoma for dining and entertainment.

Last summer’s increase, which raised the tollbooth rate to $4 and Good to Go transponders to $2.75, was thought to have been sufficient, based on predictions that traffic and revenue collections would stay at predicted levels.

But that has not been the case. In the current fiscal year, which began in July, bridge traffic is about 14,000 trips below the projected growth.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Citizen Advisory advises the state government on toll rates.

Their Nov. 18 meeting at the Inn at Gig Harbor drew an overflow crowd.

Jeff Caldwell, assistant director of financial planning for WSDOT, explained that reserve funds have been set aside for capital projects and debt service. This was done to provide some cushion for WSDOT if expenditures rise higher than projected.

Committee member Bob Ryan questioned whether too much money has been placed in the accounts. He suggested some of it could be spent to offset toll increases.

He mentioned previous conversations with WSDOT officials on this matter.

“It appears to me that discussion was for naught,” Ryan said. “We did not come up with this amount. We did not make this recommendation.”

Getting money from the state to offset revenue shortfalls appears unlikely, according to State Senator Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor). “The transportation budget overall is looking pretty gloomy,” he said. “The most likely scenario is cutting things out of the budget, not adding things to it.”

Another factor has been the popularity of the transponders. Gregory Selstead, director of tolling operations with WSDOT, said about 80 percent of people crossing during morning weekday commute times have them. In the last fiscal year the state issued about 243,000 of them, more than five times its goal. Selstead called this “unprecedented.”

One committee member asked if tollbooth rates could be raised by an amount less than a dollar, such as to $4.25 or $4.50. Selstead said the goal is to get motorists through the booth in between 12 and 15 seconds. Having booth operators making change during busy times could push this to 20 seconds or more, which could push cars in line onto Highway 16.

Committee member Becky Morgan said she wants to keep transponder rates at the present level, and suggested raising tollbooth rates to $4.50.

WSDOT staff was directed to come up several scenarios for rate increases, with some raising the tollbooth rate but not for transponders, and vice versa.

Several citizens testified against raising rates. One Gig Harbor resident said when the bridge first opened she crossed it every day to visit friends, do volunteer work or have lunch with her husband, who works in Tacoma. When the rate increased she cut this to once a week. Raise it again, she said, and she will cut back to once a month.

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