Seattle Highway 99 tunnel tolling to start in November



SEATTLE (AP) — Officials say drivers using Seattle's downtown Highway 99 tunnel will pay tolls starting Nov. 9.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said Monday the rates will vary by time of day with an afternoon-peak rate of $2.25 each direction.

Tolls of a $1.50 will be charged at morning peak times while it will cost $1 on weekends.

The Seattle Times reports instead of toll booths, the tunnel portals contain overhead detectors and cameras to record passing vehicles. Drivers without a GoodtoGo pass account are billed by mail at a surcharge of $2 per trip.

Tunnel traffic has reached 80,000 daily drivers, about the same as the Alaskan Way Viaduct from 2012-18.

State lawmakers approved the tunnel in 2009 to replace the aging Alaskan Way Viaduct and have required that tolls raise $200 million toward the $2.8 billion state cost.