2 toll-collection bills for 520 floating bridge pass House

A new Highway 520 floating bridge moved a bit closer to reality Tuesday evening when the House passed a pair of tolling bills.

Senate Bill 6499, which passed 55-42, sets up a new way of enforcing toll collections on the 520 crossing of Lake Washington, as well as the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and a future Alaskan Way Tunnel.

Drivers who cross without a "Good to Go" transponder would get a bill in the mail and would have 80 days to pay before being charged a $40 civil penalty. Collection agencies, rather than the state courts, would collect the money, though motorists could appeal to a court. Because there would be no toll booths on the 520 bridge, cameras would record license-plate numbers, including visitors from out of state, for billing purposes.

One advantage for toll payers, said Rep. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, is the grace period a driver has to pay — instead of immediately being subjected to courts and fines as Narrows drivers are now.

Highway 520 tolls are supposed to begin next year — on the current bridge — at rates of up to $3.25 one-way at peak times.

The other bill, Senate Bill 6392, passed 78-19. It would allow tolls to pay for projects in the entire corridor from Redmond to Interstate 5, instead of just the "floating bridge and necessary landings," as directed by earlier law. The point of this is to get construction bids quickly for the Eastside approaches on land, while the recession is under way and costs are lower. The state would sell toll-backed bonds to take on more debt now for the chance to cut construction costs.

The bill symbolizes the impatience of Eastside lawmakers and Seattle-area business groups with 13 years of debate over a replacement plan.

However, it creates a "work group" to look at financing for high-capacity transit on the bridge, as well as transit connections to the University of Washington, until October — a nod to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and neighbors who demand that carpool lanes be redesigned to take light rail the day the $4.6 billion crossing is finished, perhaps in 2016.

The bill would limit the bridge deck to 20 feet above the lake surface, instead of a 30-foot height the state Department of Transportation originally proposed.

The high-occupancy lanes of the new bridge would be reserved for vehicles with three or more people.

And about $200 million in expected savings from low bids would be designated to help ensure transit connections or parklike lids on the Seattle side.

A majority of Seattle council members (but not the mayor) back the state plan for two general lanes and one carpool/transit lane each direction. The state and city are negotiating over roadway width and layout.

Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, said he liked the compromises but opposes the bill because the project as now envisioned would "do a lot of damage to neighborhoods in my district."

Among other details, the new Montlake interchange would have so many ramps that it would be roughly 270 feet wide, according to an environmental-impact statement.

The state still lacks a full finance plan to involve not just Highway 520 but perhaps I-90, to cover a roughly $2 billion funding gap beyond what's covered by gas taxes.

Both bills previously passed the Senate. The House made no major changes that might delay the bills before they reach the governor's desk.

Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com