The new Tacoma Narrows Bridge

I bet you folks who live in that neighborhood will be glad to see that project finished. I have tried to drive through there a couple times on the way to port orchard or points north and it didn't matter what time of day, the traffic was almost at a standstill for miles.
 
I'm a little familiar with the area, having traveled the route many times when heading to the Olympic Penninsula from Seattle. Fortunately, never at rush hour.

However...how do the locals feel about tolls? Are they happy to pay, just to get some traffic relief? That stretch has always been toll-free, correct? In fact...I can't think of any toll bridge I've crossed in Washington State - are there any?

According to this article, it will start out at $3.00/eastbound, and rise every four years or so until it hits $6 in 2016...ouch. The article doesn't mention anything about multi-axle tolls, but around here, towing the boat with a tandem trailer more than doubles the toll.

For me, I'm glad it's eastbound only - when leaving the Olympic Penninsula, I'm usually heading down 101 through the Hood Canal.
 
Originally this project was one of two, the other being across lake washington and touching down in Medina. Mr. Gates and Mr. Allen said no so Tacoma was the only one to survive. I tried coming through here at midnight once last year and it still took almost 3 hours.
 
The Narrows Bridge that stands today had tolls for many years. The tolls paid for the Narrows Bridge and the Fox Island Bridge. The Hood Canal Bridge, and at least one of the Lake Washington Bridges had tolls. The only tolls that I know of now are for bridges crossing the Columbia River. Not sure if those are Washington or Oregon tolls.

In the late 1950's it cost our family $1.80 to travel to Tacoma from Gig Harbor, round trip. You could probably fill your gas tank for that in those days. Not too many folks who live in the area now remember when the toll booths were taking money. I think that most are not pleased by the tolls, but the improvement in traffic flow and safety will be welcomed. My husband and I travel the bridge almost daily, and we generally do not have delays. But, we live in Tacoma, and are not commuters. We also do not "travel through". We use the on ramps and off ramps nearest the bridge.

I am still trying to find out the toll for multi-axle rigs. I will let you know when I get the information.

Robbi
 
Unfortunately, the one thing you can count on with any roadway or bridge "improvement" is that it will be over capacity and obsolete the day it opens...I don't expect this to be any different. It will just allow more cars to participate in the Hwy 16 traffic jam!
 
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