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4 things to know: 405 express toll lanes make more money than state predicted

The Interstate 405 express toll lanes on the east side are making much more money than the state predicted.

State Sen. Andy Hill says the Washington State Department of Transportation should at least look into the option of giving motorists some of their money back.

Here’s five things to know about what the tolls have collected in recent months.

1.) I-405 tolls collect $3.7 million in 3 months 

Between the Sept. 27 grand opening and the end of 2015, toll payers spent $3.7 million, compared with the $1 million predicted, in the corridor between Lynnwood and Bellevue.

"We need good data, this was clearly not good data,” said Hill.

See a breakdown of the first I-405 financial report here.

2.) WSDOT says the lanes have been more popular than it predicted.

So popular, in fact, that tolling has reached its maximum, $10, time and time again.
 
The express toll lanes offer a faster trip for those willing to pay, but when demand goes up during heavy traffic, tolls can rise to a maximum of $10.

3.) WSDOT says that, for the most part, traffic times have become faster -- and more reliable.

"When they really need that reliable trip, they can pay that toll and get that. And what we're seeing is drivers are taking advantage of that," said Patty Rubstello, WSDOT director of toll operations.
 
Rubstello says the predictions about how much revenue tolls would generate were made a couple of years ago.
 
She says it's not up to WSDOT to determine where revenues go – that's up to the Legislature.
 
Whatever the Legislature decides to do with the toll lane revenue, it has to be reinvested in I-405.

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4.) There is no debate that tolls have been controversial.

The issue led, in part, to Senate Republicans firing the state's transportation direction, Lynn Peterson, last Friday.
 
And a group called Stop405Tolls.org has collected more than 30,000 signatures.

State officials say that plans are in the works to stop tolling along I-405 at night on weekends and holidays.

“The fact that they're looking at removing the toll for the off -hours is right in line with what we're saying. So that's good, they're understanding that,” David Hablewitz with Stop405tolls.org said.

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