520 Tolling Starts December 29

Drivers in Bellevue brace for a new hurdle: SR 520 bridge tolling. You’ve probably been hoping that tolling might somehow go away. But alas, on December 29th, Eastside drivers will find themselves making a mandatory contribution towards the new SR 520 bridge.

The Washington State Department of Transportation has some information regarding the ‘Top Five Things To Know About 520 Tolls’. WSDOT is recommending that drivers open a Good To Go! account now to avoid the last minute rush before tolling starts. A Good to Go! Sticker Pass will ensure that you always pay the lowest toll rate.

You can purchase the Good To Go! Sticker Pass in downtown Bellevue at Safeway & QFC and other locations in the region (Costco, Safeway, Fred Meyer and QFC stores). You can buy any of the five Good To Go! Pass options online, in-person at a customer service center or mobile location, or by calling 1-866-936-8246. If you choose to order your pass online, allow plenty of time for delivery before tolling starts.

Here Are the ‘Top Five Things to Know About SR 520 Tolls’:

1. A Good To Go! Pass is the cheapest, easiest way to pay the toll. If you travel the SR 520 Bridge at least once a month, you should consider opening a Good To Go! account. You’ll save $1.50 in tolls each time you cross the bridge with a Good To Go! Pass.
2. Toll rates vary by time of day. Toll rates are most expensive during peak travel times and cheaper during off-peak periods. Here’s the SR 520 toll rate schedule.
3. There will be no toll booths. All tolls will be collected electronically. With a pre-paid Good To Go! account, tolls are automatically deducted without stopping or slowing down.
4. There’s more bus service. To give drivers an alternative to paying the toll, King County Metro and Sound Transit have added 130 daily bus trips to routes on SR 520 for a total of 700 every weekday.
5. Tolling helps pay for a new SR 520 Bridge. The revenue generated from toll helps build a new, more reliable and safer bridge. The target date for opening the new bridge is 2014.

Downtown Bellevue Go To Go Pass locations:

QFC
10116 NE 8th Street
Bellevue, WA 98004

Safeway
300 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, WA 98004

Your opinion counts. We would like to know how SR 520 tolling will impact your commute to and from Bellevue. Your thoughts and concerns are welcome here.