Project overview
The eastbound span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened July 15, 2007 as the first modern toll road in Washington.
What at the time was considered state of the art technology is nearing the end of its usable life. Over the course of several months WSDOT will replace the aging and outdated tolling equipment on eastbound SR 16, the toll booth plaza and the 24th Street Northwest on-ramp to eastbound SR 16 with updated and resilient equipment.
The work will allow the system to continue to function reliably and meet current standards and best practices for tolling systems.
What to expect
This project will involve several overnight closures of the toll plaza, eastbound SR 16 in Gig Harbor and the 24th Street Northwest on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.
The bridge will remain open, but during certain closures drivers will need to exit SR 16 at the toll plaza and travel through the toll booths in order to cross the bridge.
When routed through the toll plaza, drivers will have the option of paying the toll through their Good To Go! account, or at the booth with cash or card.
Upcoming closures
Multiple mainline lanes on eastbound SR 16 and toll booth lanes will be closed overnight over the course of the project.
During the mainline lane closures, vehicles will be routed through the toll booth plaza before continuing to drive across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
During the toll booth lane closures, at least one toll booth will always remain open so drivers will continue to be able to pay at the toll booths. But certain evenings the oversized vehicle booth will be closed and drivers with oversized vehicles will need to stay on eastbound SR 16 and bypass the toll plaza. Drivers who bypass the plaza will be sent a bill in the mail after their trip.
June
- All lanes of eastbound SR 16 at the toll plaza will be closed from 8:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly Thursday, June 12 through the morning of Saturday, June 14. During the closure all traffic will be routed through the toll plaza before continuing across the bridge.
- The eastbound SR 16 on-ramp from 24th Street Northwest will be closed from 3 a.m. Saturday, June 14 to 4 a.m. Monday, June 16.
- All lanes of eastbound SR 16 at the toll plaza will be closed from 8:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly Monday, June 16 through the morning of Wednesday, June 18. During the closure all traffic will be routed through the toll plaza before continuing across the bridge.
Tolling equipment at the Tacoma Narrows Bridge toll booths and mounted on over-the-road gantries will be replaced.
The existing toll equipment on the bridge was installed in 2007, and through dedicated effort has been well maintained long past the end of its usable life. But for the system to continue working reliably, the equipment needs to be upgraded.
The upgrade involves replacing cameras, lights, RFID readers, and overhead sensors, in the six toll booths, four lanes of eastbound SR 16 and the 24th Street Northwest on-ramp.
Once the new equipment is in place the system will no longer need in-ground sensors and will have a new disaster recovery server to ensure operations can continue reliably through disasters. Drivers using the toll booths will have more payment options including a tap and pay feature.
Toll revenue is used to operate and maintain a safe facility and to repay bonds used to fund construction of the bridge. The updated equipment is necessary to continue effectively collecting tolls and supporting the ongoing operational and maintenance needs of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
