State officials have advertised tolling could start on the floating State Route 520 bridge as early as April.
In Bothell, Kenmore and neighboring cities, officials are expecting a large number of drivers to opt not to pay the tolls, but take their commutes in other directions, including north to State Route 522.
“We are going to get hammered and we know it,” said Kenmore Mayor David Baker, who has expressed concerns about the upcoming tolling on several previous occasions.
Most recently, Baker said he helped push for passage of legislation in both the state house and the state senate, legislation officials hope will reaffirm to the state the importance of 522.
The bills were sponsored by State Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park, and State Sen. Maralyn Chase, D-Shoreline. There is no money attached to either bill. According to Baker, Kagi’s bill is headed for the floor of the house for a general vote, while Chase’s measure is still in committee. The language of both bills is the same.
Essentially, Chase and Kagi have asked their fellow legislators to keep 522 in mind in the future, to remember its significance as a regional roadway and an important link between interstates 405 and 5.
The legislation also contends “there are correctable traffic collisions” on 522, which the state could address and acknowledges that the route will be impacted by tolling on the 520 bridge.
Baker is not alone among local officials in expressing concerns about the potential effects of bridge tolling. Bothell Mayor Mark Lamb said he testified in favor of the 522 bill in Olympia. Lamb added the state seems seriously interested in adding a toll lane to I-405. If that happens, Lamb believes Bothell and other cities along 522 should be in line to receive some of the dollars raised, money that could be used to offset the effects of more cars on 522. Lamb added the state can argue traffic will divert to the I-90 bridge, not necessarily 522, when tolling launches on 520.
“I think if 405 is tolled, there is no question we’re in for some added traffic,” he said.
“If you take a look at it, it’s a regional issue,” Baker said. “We just want to make sure we’re not forgotten.”
Baker said according to a recent poll, the drivers of up to 20 percent of the 120,000 vehicles that use the 520 bridge daily said they would divert from the bridge to the north — namely to 522 — when bridge tolling starts. Baker said obviously that means up to roughly an additional 20,000 cars passing through Kenmore on weekdays. He added he was willing to admit that number might not be that high.
“But I’ll bet we get at least 10,000,” Baker said.
In preparing for the potential onslaught, Baker said Kenmore has been conducting car counts on major roadways in the city, especially Juanita Drive and Simonds Road. He hopes the state will help undertake counts on 522.
“We have been accumulating some good baseline data,” Baker said.
Baker added there is talk in Olympia of a possible new gas tax, the argument being that money from the current gas tax is already allocated to various projects. If a new tax is in put in place, Baker said he wants cities along 522 to be in line for a share of any revenue.
