Tolls, growth concerns for lawmakers

Paige Richmond

of the Gateway

The addition of the new Narrows bridge may have brought added conveniences to daily drivers, but it has also caused a few headaches for local politicians.

Gig Harbor’s movers and shakers offered their thoughts on the biggest challenges they’ve faced since the eastbound span was built:

State Sen. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor

“I have the same mixed emotions that many people feel about the bridge. I cross the bridge every workday, and it’s amazing how much easier it is to cross the Narrows than the ‘old days’ now that traffic has been virtually eliminated and average speeds are twice what they used to be during peak travel times.

“That said, I continue to have heartburn about the tolls. When I was first elected to office, the ‘deal’ to build the bridge had already been made — that meant the bridge would be funded almost entirely through tolls, and that those tolls would rise over time. To me, there are a lot of built-in inequities to that deal that I have some real problems with.

“With that in mind, as a daily bridge commuter and as someone who represents our area, I set about simply trying to get a better deal for folks in our area. I fought for and was pleased we were able to get some state money to provide a discount on the tolls for Good to Go! users for the first year, so rather than paying the $3 originally planned, folks in our area paid $1.75.

“Even after it opened, we’ve still had plenty of work to keep costs down. I worked with my colleagues (state Rep.) Larry Seaquist and (state Rep.) Pat Lantz to trim some of the overhead that (the Washington State Department of Transportation) wanted our tolls to pay for. We trimmed roughly $4 million in controllable expenses this past year. Every dollar we can find in savings is one less dollar that folks in our area will face in tolls. We’ve got to keep at it.”

State Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor

“The core question from Day One: Is the bridge being operated at max efficiency? We can’t waste one penny of toll money on extra staff or unneeded functions. We’ve saved millions with cuts, but we’re not done yet.

“I want to make sure (WSDOT) is giving our excellent Citizen Advisory Committee all the data and support they need so the books are always under the community’s microscope.”

Terry Lee, Pierce County Councilman, R-Gig Harbor

“The challenge of linking the new Scott Pierson Trail that goes across the new bridge with our existing Cushman Trail is one issue. Also, trying to acquire the property that the batch plant was located on from (WSDOT) is a challenge because of our budget, but — I believe — very important to our community, as it will become our front door, so to speak.

“The obvious challenge of a more accessible community and the impacts of more growth on our county infrastructure, (but) the result of the new bridge creating a congestion-free commute (is) very unlike any other areas in Pierce County that have attracted large-scale, new growth.”

Reach Reporter and Columnist Paige Richmond at 253-853-9243 or by e-mail at paige.richmond@gateline.com.