Are you "Good to Go"?

As I’m sure many of you are aware, Pierce county is getting a new bridge this Summer. That’s right after much debate and controversy, the new Tacoma Narrows bridge is scheduled to open in July. Along with this new bridge comes a new set of rules for how commuters will make their daily drive across the sound. The new bridge will incorporate a toll system to pay for the nearly 1 billion (yes, that’s with a B) dollar bridge project.

The Department of Transportation has created a new program called “Good To Go” to allow drivers who frequently cross the bridge to do so more efficiently. How it works: Drivers will be required to sign up with Good To Go in order to receive a tansponder that will be placed in their vehicle. This transponder will also be attached to an account that the driver sets up with the DOT. When a driver with Good to Go transponder approaches the bridge, they will have their own separate lanes free from toll booths. As the car with the transponder attached passes under the readers, an amount is automatically deducted from the driver’s account. Its as simple as that. No stopping, no waiting, no toll booths. AND to incentivise drivers to use the new system, vehicles equipped with the transponders will pay less of a toll than their non-equipped commuter brethren.

As part of a pilot program, Real Estate agents were given an opportunity to sign up for the new Good to Go system in advance of the general public release on April 25th. I was the 15th person in the state to sign up and I can tell you from personal experience that it was a PIECE of CAKE! Simply log on to the DOT Good To Go Website (see links below) and create an account. After creating an account, you’ll need the make, model, year and license plate of each vehicle you want to be assigned to the account. The DOT will provide up to 6 transponders for free, with a nominal fee being charged for each vehicle beyond 6. I registered my car, Teri’s car, and my motorcycle.

After providing vehicle details, you’re asked to create your on-line account. You must deposit a minimum of $30.00 to establish the account. You then tell the DOT how much to debit your card after the initial $30.00 is depleted. For example, I signed up and deposited an initial $30.00 No muss, no fuss.

For my motorcycle, they provided a license plate frame that incorporates the transponder. For each of our vehicles, a small 3” X 3” (approx.) sticker was provided to place in the front window of each vehicle. It took about a week to get them, but the whole process was very easy.

Even if you don’t travel the Tacoma Narrows bridge very often, you’ll likely want to pick these up anyway. Just for that ONE day you decide to take a leisurely drive to the peninsula. You don’t want to wait at the toll booth for an hour to cross the bridge. Initial estimates have Good to Go equipped drivers paying $1.75 each way and toll lane drivers paying $3.00 each way.

So I ask again, are you Good to Go?

Visit the DOT Good to Go Site:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/goodtogo/

Highway 16 - Tacoma Narrows project information:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr16narrowsbridge/