Paying For a New Viaduct and 520 Bridge With Tolls

Ross Reynolds
09/26/2006 at 1:00 p.m.

Governor Chris Gregoire says we should look at tolls to help pay for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Do you agree? Are tolls the best way to help pay for major road projects?

Mega road projects like replacing the viaduct and the 520 floating bridge will cost billions. It’s not clear yet how we’ll pay for everything. Governor Gregoire says it makes sense for those who use the road to pay tolls. She says it's more fair than paying with the gas tax, which all drivers pay. But will tolls just push traffic onto other streets? Toll roads and bridges are rare in the Northwest. Should they be more common? Are tolls the best way to pay? What’s been your experience using toll roads in other parts of the country? Toll roads are The Conversation.

Guests:
Dick Ford is chair of the Washington State Transportation Committee. He's also team leader of the Tolling Study Committee, which released its final report on tolls yesterday (September 25th).
Mark Hallenbeck is the Director of the Washington State Transportation Center at the University of Washington, where he studies traffic and transit issues.