State Route 520 Bridge Toll Bills Introduced in State Legislature

The recommended $3.50 peak-hour toll for State Route 520 is being considered in the state legislature for a legislative vote, after state senators and representatives introduced bills Monday to enact the tolls.

The Washington State Transportation Commission last month recommended a $3.50 peak-hour toll, but the newly passed Initiative 1053 meant that the legislature had to affirm the recommendation with a majority vote before the state could start collecting.

Both bills, House Bill 1887 and Senate Bill 5700, note strong voter support for I-1053, which passed in November and requires that fee increases receive a majority vote in the legislature.

The house bill was sponsored by Eastside representatives Judy Clibborn (D-Mercer Island), Marcie Maxwell (D-Renton) and Ross Hunter (D-Medina) along with representative Mike Armstrong (R-Wenatchee). The Senate bill was sponsored by state senators Mary Margaret Haugen (D-Camano Island) and Curtis King (R-Yakima). Haugen is the chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Transporation and King is the Ranking Minority Member of that committee.

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