On I-405, commuters can pay for some extra speed

Leslie Holleran Jul 3, 2025

Jan 12, 2018

Republish Article

You can republish articles in print or online. Simply copy the HTML below, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline, and credit to Cascade PBS. Republishing of the photos or videos embedded in an article can occur only if the photo or video is a copyright of Cascade Public Media ("CPM") and not of a third party. Photos and videos that are a copyright of CPM are not required to appear in the republished article, but if they are used, they must be embedded where they appear in the original article and must include the attribution to the CPM photographer.

You may reprint in any medium
You may edit only for tense and timeliness
If republishing in print you can edit for length if you follow our print republishing guidelines.
You may write your own headline
Include a byline and shirttail with credit and link to Cascade PBS
Include our tracking pixel
Remove if we ask

          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>On I-405, commuters can pay for some extra speed</h1>
                <h2><p>The Washington State Department of Transportation has issued results from a study of the new express toll lanes on I-405. The DOT concludes that commuters who used the new lanes are saving on average 15 minutes (on the low end) during peak periods.

But, caveat emptor! While it’s not</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/leslie-holleran-crosscut-com/">Leslie Holleran</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Jan 12, 2018</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>The Washington State Department of Transportation has issued results from a study of the new express toll lanes on I-405. The DOT concludes that commuters who used the new lanes are saving on average 15 minutes (on the low end) during peak periods.</p><p>But, caveat emptor! While it’s not necessary to have a <a href="http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/GoodToGo/Passes.htm?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Good to Go! Pass</a> in order to use the express toll lanes, drivers who do save money. Drivers <em>without</em> a Good to Go Pass who use the lanes get a bill in the mail for the cost of the toll plus $2.00. If the typical toll of a southbound morning commuter is $1.50, then the fee is more than the toll itself. High-occupancy vehicles ride for free with a new <a href="http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Tolling/405/freepass.htm?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Flex Pass</a>.</p>
          </article>

The Washington State Department of Transportation has issued results from a study of the new express toll lanes on I-405. The DOT concludes that commuters who used the new lanes are saving on average 15 minutes (on the low end) during peak periods.

But, caveat emptor! While it’s not necessary to have a Good to Go! Pass in order to use the express toll lanes, drivers who do save money. Drivers without a Good to Go Pass who use the lanes get a bill in the mail for the cost of the toll plus $2.00. If the typical toll of a southbound morning commuter is $1.50, then the fee is more than the toll itself. High-occupancy vehicles ride for free with a new Flex Pass.

Our members' donations make local journalism happen.

Support once for $1

Support monthly for $7

Cascade PBS Passport
Mossback members-only newsletter
Monthly Viewer Guide

Support monthly for $25

Invitation to quarterly news and original programming video conference
Annual in-person meet-up with news & programming teams
Special event perks (reduced price or free tickets, cocktails, etc.)

Continue

By Leslie Holleran

Leslie Holleran regularly writes about arts and culture for print and online publications. Her work has appeared in national dance publications and in Seattle newspapers and magazines.