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New Narrows Bridge Opens July 15 for Public Celebration

Date: Thursday, May 31, 2007

Contact: Victoria Tobin, New Narrows Bridge Opening Event Crew, 206.375.2412

GIG Harbor–WSDOT has set the New Narrows Bridge opening event date for Sunday, July 15 as TNC crews continue their quick pace to get the bridge deck ready.

“We’re hoping Mother Nature stays on our side,” said Jeff Carpenter, WSDOT’s Tacoma Narrows Bridge Project Director, “TNC crews are completing several critical activities needed to open the bridge deck including deck waterproofing, painting and paving, which are all weather dependent.”

Opening day events will focus on the communities the bridge will serve and the workers who built the bridge, including opening the bridge for a once-in-a-lifetime stroll across the deck and the opportunity to cut a ribbon. The bridge deck will be open to the public between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. with free bus service via Pierce Transit to the bridge from both sides during that time. A morning bridge walk/run sponsored by MultiCare, a ceremonious first toll and a formal presentation will also be part of the day's festivities.

“This is an important occasion for thousands of people,” Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald said. “We invite everyone to join us as we share in the accomplishment this bridge represents.”

Please visit http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr1...ridge/opening/ for the most up-to-date event information.

 

Whats the big deal about this bridge? I have never heard a thing about it.

 

The Narrows bridge has been one the biggest traffic headaches for a while now as it only has 1 lane for each direction of travel, and is the only way to get from the major Sea/Tac area to parts of western Washington without driving around for a few hours or taking the ferry - I remember having to wait an hour in stop-and-go traffic before I could finally cross it.

This new bridge basically doubles the capacity (and in theory would halve the amount of wait time?). Unfortunately, they're instituting a toll for all eastbound travelers. Grr.

 

Brian, are you going? I'll go too! I thought about buying the pass "just because" but I only go over the bridge once or twice a year. Does anyone know if the toll pass will be the same as the one offered for the 167 HOV lanes? Then I might go get it.

 

If it's the "Good To Go" pass from DOT, CoreyAnn, then yeah it's the same one.

 

I believe the sign on the toll booths say GOOD TO GO

 

Ahhh...Good To Go is also the 167 HOT lane pass program!

Now just to find out if they'll charge me every time I get into a HOT lane regardless of if I have a carpool or not if I have that transponder.

 

The idea with the future 167 HOT lane will be when you get in it, the transponder will "see" you and charge for you the first time in, the transponders along the route will continue to monitor your progress until the end of the HOT lane at Hwy 18.

You can for example get off at 212th, and get back on at Willis Street and you will be no additional fee to you, regardless if the toll fee has increased because traffic has increased. This is valid for either direction of travel in the HOT.

I'm looking forward to Good to Go, I'm signing up for it when I head over to the Bridge Opening =)

 

Right...but about 70% of the time I'm riding in the HOV lanes as a carpool. I want to use the transponder for the other 30% when I'm not. I contacted them months ago and they are still working on a work-around for this because in their mind people either ARE or AREN'T carpoolers. They are trying to figure out how to keep from charging me when I am a carpooler.

 

Wow - surprised it'll be ready so soon. Drove through there in late April, and it still looked a ways away.

I don't miss the traffic. I used to live very close to the bridge on the GH side (when you cross the bridge coming from Tacoma, look on the left once you get to the other side. See the shopping center with green roofs? I lived about 1/2 mile behind that) and you literally had to plan your life around the traffic. Mistime it, and you tripled the length of your trip.

That said, it seems the tolls kicking in has spurred construction on the Gig Harbor side. Could have used that when we were there. All in all, it's a good thing, but I'm glad I wasn't around for the painful parts.

 

Exciting!

 

Here is some additional information for you Kitsap Drivers

Here’s how bridge users will experience their commute for about 10 months between the summers of 2007 and 2008:
Peak Morning Commute, Summer 2007 to Summer 2008:
• New Bridge. Three lanes of traffic head east.
• New Bridge. One lane heads west.
• 1950 Bridge. One lane open to westbound traffic.
(A concrete barrier on the new bridge will separate eastbound and westbound traffic.)

Peak Evening Commute, Summer 2007 to Summer 2008:
• New Bridge. Two lanes of traffic head east and two lanes west.
• 1950 Bridge. One lane open to westbound traffic; all other lanes closed for improvements.

Peak Evening Commute, Final Months (Dates to be Determined):
• New Bridge. Three lanes of traffic head east and one lane west.
• 1950 Bridge. Two lanes westbound; rest of lanes closed for improvements.

 

TACOMA, Wash. - The toll on the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge will be $3 for passenger cars and trucks, and $1.75 for automated toll payers.

The state Transportation Commission met today and set the toll amounts. The commissioners adopted a policy that says everyone, including police, will have to pay them. They stuck with the policy that was proposed nearly six months ago.

Even emergency vehicles will be charged a toll, although they can seek a rebate within six months if they are responding to or returning from an emergency situation.

The tolls will take effect July 16th, the day after the bridge-opening ceremony, unless an appeal is filed within 30 days.

The discounted toll of $1.75 for drivers who set up debit accounts and install transponders so tolls can be collected electronically will last until June 30th, 2008.

Commission chairman Dick Ford of Seattle says the commission's duty was to make sure there's enough money to make twice-a-year payments on the money the state borrowed for the $849 million bridge project.