Drivers who cross the Tacoma Narrows Bridge will have additional options starting this weekend. On Sat., Dec. 3, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will activate photo tolling and introduce more ways to pay for a toll.
Previously, there were two options for drivers to pay the toll on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge: stopping at the toll booth or using a Good To Go! pass. Drivers who crossed the bridge without using either payment option received an infraction notice.
“We regularly hear from drivers, usually visitors from out of town, who unintentionally missed the toll booth and want to know what to do to pay the toll,” said WSDOT Toll Division Director Craig Stone. “Now, those drivers can pay the toll without being automatically fined and that money will go back to the Narrows Bridge instead of going to the court.”
The new Pay By Mail and Pay By Plate options allow drivers without a Good To Go! pass to use the electronic toll lanes. The registered owner of the vehicle will receive a toll bill in the mail. Drivers who don’t pay within 80 days will receive a notice of civil penalty for $40 plus the accumulated tolls and fees. All money collected will go back to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge account.
“If you currently cross the Narrows Bridge using your Good To Go! pass, nothing changes,” Stone said. “Your toll rate will not change and the toll booths will still be available for drivers who want to pay with cash or credit cards.”
Current toll rates remain at $2.75 for those with Good To Go! passes and $4 for those stopping at the toll booths. Good To Go! customers without a pass installed on their vehicle will use the Pay By Plate option and be charged an additional 25 cents for each toll transaction. Drivers who don’t have a Good To Go! account may still use the electronic lanes with Pay By Mail. Those drivers will pay $1.50 more than the cash rate and receive a $5.50 toll bill.
In order to implement the new Pay By Mail system, WSDOT will upgrade the customer service system this weekend. During the upgrade, the customer service centers will be closed and Good To Go! customers will not be able to access their account via Web or phone from 10 p.m. Fri., Dec. 2, to 7 a.m. Mon., Dec. 5. Walk-in centers, which are usually open on Saturdays, will also be closed, but Good To Go! passes will continue to be available through various retailers, New customers will not be able to set up accounts until the upgrade is complete. Narrows Bridge toll collection will continue during the upgrade.
“We’re upgrading the system now to help ensure that existing customers aren’t affected by the surge in account signups we expect just before tolling starts on SR 520,” said Stone. “Once the system is back up, we urge people to set up their new Good To Go! accounts promptly to avoid getting caught in the rush.”
Tolling on SR 520 will start in December. WSDOT will announce the date next week.
More information about Tacoma Narrows Bridge tolling is available at http://www.wsdot.gov/tolling/tnbtolling . To learn more about the Good To Go! program visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/goodtogo .
