Are Express Lanes worth $15? Tolls increasing on I-405 and 167
Jan 29, 2024, 11:42 AM | Updated: 11:56 am

Seattle traffic. (AP)
(AP)
The tolls are going up on Interstate 405 and 167.
The Washington State Transportation Commission voted to adopt the new higher rates Monday.
The max tolls on 405 and 167 will go up to $15. They are currently $10 on 405 and $9 on 167.
The commission made the change because the max tolls were not creating faster trips for those paying them. It hopes these higher rates will price more people out.
Chokepoints: Answers to listener’s FAQs regarding I-5’s express lanes
The increases take effect March 1st.
It’s important to remember that the tolls here are designed to price people out of the lanes. The higher the price, the more the state hopes people opt to sit in the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the main lines.
The goal is to give transit that 45-mile-an-hour trip, 90% of the time.
Check out more of Chris Sullivan’s stories on Chokepoints.