Motorists warm up to HWY 167 HOT lanes in opening month
June 6, 2008 · Updated 2:57 PM
While the first month of State Route 167 HOT lanes operations went smoothly, the pilot project faced a few minor challenges.
More than 6,500 Good To Go! customers used the Valley Freeway’s HOT (high occupancy toll) lanes during the first month of operation. Solo drivers who chose to pay to use the HOT lanes saved an average of 10 minutes in travel time on trips between Auburn and Renton and paid an average toll of $1.50.
The highest toll paid was $5.75 during the evening commute on May 21. That toll bought approximately 27 minutes in saved travel time.
“More and more drivers are using the HOT lanes each day,” said Paula Hammond, Washington State Department of Transportation secretary. “We started with a few hundred toll payers a day and now we’re up to more than 1,200 drivers each day who find value in paying for a more reliable trip.
“This four-year pilot project is off to a great start, and we’ll be closely monitoring and adjusting the system to achieve its best performance.”
The first Good To Go! statements with HOT lane toll charges were distributed this weekend. WSDOT urges customers to take a moment to closely review their May statements. A few customers have contacted the Good To Go! customer service center with questions about toll trip charges on SR 167.
Customers who think they were charged incorrectly or have questions about charges, should contact the customer service center at 1-866-936-8246, and their records will be reviewed to determine if there was a discrepancy.
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