Tacoma Narrows Bridge toll payers will save $5.6 million in toll operations fees over the next four years and more than $1 million in savings this biennium under the new terms of a contract negotiated by WSDOT and its tolls operator and manager, TransCore, according to a statement released yesterday by the transportation agency.
The new amended Tacoma Narrows Bridge contract with a single monthly fixed fee of $565,666 will replace the fixed and variable fee structure currently in place. It is a savings of nearly $150,000 a month. In addition, a second contract provides for a monthly fixed fee of $48,733 for all back-office and in-lane operations for the SR 167 HOT lanes pilot project scheduled to open this spring.
The length of the TNB contract is extended from Jan 31, 2011 to June 30, 2012, to coincide with the length of the SR 167 HOT lanes pilot project.