The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) recently submitted its Eastside Corridor Tolling Study final report to the Legislature, an assessment of finding a viable solution to alleviating congestion on Interstate 405. Part of this study recommends changing the current HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lane into a HOT (high-occupancy toll) lane.
Furthermore, it recommends changing the current two-plus carpool designation to a three-plus designation. This means that anyone who currently carpools with one other individual, which makes up most of the carpools from my observation over the years, will not be allowed to use these lanes without paying a toll. This will either force all of the two-person carpool traffic into the SOV (single-occupancy vehicle) lanes or cost the average family roughly $250 per month in order to continue to use these lanes — forcing these carpools, who are already being responsible by helping reduce traffic, to be penalized either with a substantially increased commute or a huge hit to their family’s budget.
I have some serious concerns with this. There are many more creative solutions out there to alleviate the congestion on I-405. Increased bus service, incentives to get SOV drivers out of their cars to take the bus, join a car or vanpool or telecommute, keeping the HOV lane “as is,” while creating a new HOT lane, as well as utilizing the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail that runs along a fair stretch of this corridor for commuter rail are just a few possible solutions.
The study seems to focus too much on generating money rather than tackling the root issue of congestion. Go to www.wsdot.wa.gov and type “Eastside corridor final report” in the Search field to review this report. There are dozens upon dozens of comments from other commuters with similar concerns. House Bill 2941 would authorize the WSDOT to move forward with its plans. Contact your state representatives (www.leg.wa.gov) and urge them to oppose this bill and the HOT lane plan, before a hasty decision is made. Just because HOT lanes are glamorous does not necessarily make them the right fit for our region.
Will Brandt, Lake Stevens
