WSDOT investigates glitch as I-405 toll signs show ‘FREE’

This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com

The express toll lanes on southbound I-405 between Lynnwood and Bellevue were free Thursday morning due to incorrect signage labeling the lanes as “FREE,” the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) confirmed.

The Good To Go! tolling system rates change based on real-time traffic conditions throughout the day. These tolls generally range between $1 and $15, except for today, when the express toll lanes were free to use.

SB I-405 toll-free Thursday morning

WSDOT Good To Go! noted it is looking into the cause of the issue.

If you're driving on southbound I-405 this morning, the toll rate signs are incorrectly displaying "FREE." We are looking into what's causing this issue. As always, if you choose to drive in the express toll lanes, you lock in the price you see and HOV rules still apply.
— WSDOT Good To Go! (@GoodToGoWSDOT) July 31, 2025

“This was a malfunction of some kind. One corridor was malfunctioning cause they were still charging tolls on 405 northbound, and on 167 north and south,” KIRO Newsradio’s traffic reporter Chris Sullivan said.

KIRO Newsradio reached out to WSDOT for comments on the cause of the glitch and the adjustments that were made to fix the issue.

“As part of preparing to open the SR 509 Expressway and SR 167 express toll lanes this fall we’ve been making adjustments to the entire toll system,” WSDOT stated. “It’s unclear which specific adjustment caused the signs on I-405 to say “FREE” this morning. We were able to resolve the issue by restoring the signs to a version of the system from a few days ago.”

WSDOT mentioned that the prices indicated on their signs are the amount drivers pay. All trips this morning through these lanes will remain free on users’ accounts.

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