Tolling Close on Washington State Bridge

When tolling starts sometime this spring on the State Route 520 Bridge across Lake Washington west from Seattle, trucks could pay from $2.40 to $14.50 each way to cross.

The cost will depend on the time of day, the number of axles and whether they have an electronic toll transponder, according to the Washington Transportation Commission.

The commission unveiled the proposed toll rates for the floating span in November, and after public hearings scheduled for the first week in December it is scheduled to adopt the final rate schedule at a public hearing Jan. 5.

The state is tolling the existing bridge, which carries Route 520 traffic across the lake to Hunt’s Point, in order to pay for a new, floating bridge that is to open in 2014.

DOT officials said the new bridge will be safer and built to withstand major earthquakes and wind storms.

Tolling in both directions will begin as soon as the department completes installation of the new electronic tolling system this spring.