The following is  a release from Sen. Andy Hill (R-Redmond):

Express toll lanes on I-405 in Eastside King County continue to draw the ire of commuters as a report released today by INRIX showed slower speeds, longer periods of peak congestion, and less traffic predictability in the general purpose lanes. This follows the announcement Monday that WSDOT had taken in $3.7 million during the fourth quarter of 2015, well over the $1 million the agency forecasted.

“Even when drivers thought they’d seen it all we continue to see highly questionable results from the implementation of I-405 tolls, and the thousands of commuters I’ve heard from are only getting more frustrated,” said Hill. “Although I supported the original congestion pricing idea, WSDOT failed to bring that concept to reality due to poor planning, indifference to commuters and wildly inaccurate forecasting.”

Hill’s I-405 legislation was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee last week. After issues with SR 520 tolling he also sponsored successful legislation in 2015 to improve customer service on Good to Go! before the system expanded to the Express Toll Lanes.

“It shouldn’t come as any surprise to WSDOT that the data mirrored the frustrating experience drivers are having,” said Hill. “Then add to it the fact that the state is taking in millions of dollars more from those who resigned themselves to pay to escape traffic backups and you have taxpayers who don’t feel their interests are a priority of their state government.”