Airport cab rides will cost more during I-5 construction

A taxi ride from the downtown hotel district to the airport will hit passengers' pocketbooks more than usual during the upcoming Interstate 5 lane-closure project.

The trip will cost at least $7 more than usual, and city officials are warning it could be much more.

Seattle's standard $28 flat rate for a cab driving south from downtown to the airport will be suspended through the Aug. 10-29 construction, the City of Seattle announced today.

Instead, taxi meters will compute the cab fare, which adds up to $35 if a taxi is moving at a regular speed from downtown to the airport, said Denise Movius, director of the city's revenue and consumer-affairs division.

However, a 40-minute delay could add an extra $20 to the total. That means if you are in a cab stuck in traffic, the cost to the airport could be $55 or more.

Although construction will be on the northbound freeway lanes, delays and back-ups will affect those traveling south as well, Movius said.

Eliminating the flat-rate fare will give taxi drivers an incentive to get on Interstate 5 during that time, said Movius.

"They're not going to go out there if they're going to lose money," said Movius.

The flat rate from downtown to the airport, established in 2000 in Seattle, will be reinstated once construction has ended.

Many cities have established flat rates between downtowns and airports to ensure cab drivers were taking the most direct route when transporting out-of-town visitors, and not overcharging them, according to the city.

Christina Siderius: csiderius@seattletimes.com