The Washington State Legislature passed a law directing the Transportation Commission to create a revised process for setting toll rates and policies that is more efficient and transparent than the old process. This direction was based on recommendations that emerged from an assessment that was conducted by the Commission in 2024, which found that the old process takes at least three months to complete but on average extends to five months.
On March 24, 2026, the Commission voted to adopt a new process for setting toll rates, which went into effect May 1, 2026.
Why did the Process Change?
The new approach to toll setting emphasizes public engagement, reduces the time between administrative steps, and allows the Commission to respond more quickly to financial needs.
Key benefits include:
- Reduced administrative costs
- Earlier public input, when it can have the greatest impact
- Greater transparency around proposed changes
- More efficient decision-making
How is the New Process Different From the Old?
The new toll setting process supports early public involvement that will have impact and inform responsive Commission decision-making.
New Process:
The toll rate setting process of the past was dominated by long, mandatory waiting periods between multiple steps, reducing responsiveness and limiting the opportunity for gathering impactful public input. There was little flexibility for the Commission to revise a proposal, and if any substantive changes were made, the whole process would need to re-start.
Old Process for Setting Toll Rates
