The glacier-formed ribbon lake separating the suburban east from the urban west (a fading distinction) is 22 miles long and a few miles wide. Two floating bridge complexes (the lake bottom being too deep/muddy to allow pilings for suspension bridges) span the lake. The deteriorating northern bridge needs a $5 billion replacement, one billion coming from tolls which were recently introduced on the current bridge.High-tech cameras capture the license plate or an attached "good to go" pass (which acts like a debit card), eliminating the need for toll booths.
The staggered (and for some motorists staggering) toll rates have reduced volume by one-half: from 120,000 daily crossings to 60,000. Traffic zips along at 60 from the pre-toll 20. The idea was to encourage the use of busses and carpools, but most toll-avoiders have just switched to the newer and wider free bridge to the south, slowing its traffic from 60 to 20, bringing more pollutants to the air and sending more dollars overseas as drivers add 10-15 miles with the extra loop. So much for social engineering.
Why don't both bridges have a toll?
Mondays - Fridays
|
Good To Go! Pass
|
Pay By Mail
|
|---|---|---|
Midnight to 5 a.m.
|
0
|
0
|
5 a.m. to 6 a.m.
|
$1.60
|
$3.10
|
6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
|
$2.80
|
$4.30
|
7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
|
$3.50
|
$5.00
|
9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
|
$2.80
|
$4.30
|
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
|
$2.25
|
$3.75
|
2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
|
$2.80
|
$4.30
|
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
|
$3.50
|
$5.00
|
6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
|
$2.80
|
$4.30
|
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
|
$2.25
|
$3.75
|
9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
|
$1.60
|
$3.10
|
11 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
|
0
|
0
|
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