Tolls just went up for 520 bridge commuters between Bellevue and Seattle
Tolls are rising on the floating 520 bridge between Seattle and Bellevue during peak commute times.
Starting Aug. 15, tolls are going up an average of 10%. The hike was approved by the Washington State Transportation Commission in July.
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Another change the commission made is that instead of eight levels of tolls, there are now six. Tolls go up or down depending on traffic levels and the time of day.
Commuters can expect the highest tolls during peak drive times: $4.90 between 7-10 a.m. and again between 3-7 p.m. on weekdays. The cheapest times to cross the bridge will be between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., when it will cost $1.35.
After years of construction, an upgraded floating 520 bridge opened between Seattle and Bellevue in 2016. The project cost $1.2 billion. Tolls are aimed at covering the construction price tag (it will take until 2051 to fully cover the costs), while also paying to maintain the bridge.
According to the commission, the recent toll hike is a response to a 2023 report that predicted the bridge's toll revenue would not keep up with operating costs by July 2025. A similar reason prompted a 15% toll increase in 2023.
Toll revenue on the 520 bridge was $60 million in 2022, and went up to $64 million in 2023, according to the state's annual tolling report.
The bridge is expected to produce an estimated $72.1 million in 2024 and $79.5 million in 2025. The annual report also notes that traffic on the bridge is expected to decline through 2024, and that, "The reduction in toll transactions from (fiscal year) 2023 to (fiscal year) 2024 relative to the increase in revenues is primarily due to the 15% toll rate increase that took effect on July 1, 2023."
