The Washington State Transportation Commission is set to vote on new tolling policies, including higher tolls on multiple highways and additional fees for drivers without transponders, at its meeting in Bellevue on April 16.
Tolls are already in place on State Route 99, 167, and 405, but new tolls will be implemented on the under-construction extensions of SR 509 and 167.
Additionally, according to the Washington State Transportation Commission, drivers using SR 167 without a transponder currently avoid tolls because the state has not installed technology to read license plates.
The commission plans to change that policy, aligning SR 167 with other toll roads that charge an extra $2 fee for drivers who pay by plate.
While pay-by-plate tolling was originally scheduled to begin October 1, officials have now confirmed that the system upgrade will not be operational until December 2025.
The upgrade is expected to close a loophole that has cost the state an unknown amount in lost toll revenue since tolls were first introduced on SR 167 in 2008.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Transportation Commission have not disclosed how much revenue has been lost due to the absence of license plate reading technology on SR 167.
In addition to expanding tolling, the commission is scheduled to approve a 3% toll increase for the Seattle SR 99 tunnel.
Drivers will not have a say in the exact toll increase, only the option to support or oppose raising the toll by five cents during normal hours and 10 cents during peak hours.
Public input will be accepted on many of the proposed toll changes after Tuesday’s meeting, officials said.
©2025 Cox Media Group
