I-5 Columbia River Crossing (OR/WA)

[jakeroot]

You can create a Good To Go account with pay as you go and just a license plate, no transponder or sticker needed, and no fees to set it up. I did that last year before driving on the 405 Express Lanes, and they just billed my credit card after the fact (only ended up being $1.00, I was driving from BC to Oregon and wasn't sure what my route would be), didn't have to think about it.

The pay by plate rate is only $0.25 more than the transponder rate ($1.75 less than pay by mail). Seems like a good enough solution for occasional regional traffic. I have the same thing setup for Fastrak in California, which also works well (though for the express lanes in CA you need the transponder, unlike WA).

That said, all of this would be much less of an issue if the US could decide on one standard. As of now, I have accounts set up in WA, CA, and FL (for all of EZ-Pass), and it still doesn't cover every toll road or even every 2di (for example Kansas Turnpike). And my WA Goodtogo account isn't even valid on the Hood River Bridge/Bridge of the Gods between OR and WA, they have their own transponder for some reason.

I cannot believe I didn't know about WSDOT's pay-by-plate option. I always assumed you had to get a transponder or decal to take advantage of the normal rates, or you had to put up with the $2 mail fee.

The problem is still having to do everything beforehand. We should not expect drivers to create accounts for a toll bridge ahead of time when those without existing accounts are likely those using it once or twice, maximum, and almost certainly weren't aware of the toll beforehand. Or if they were (such as a sign saying "toll bridge 20 miles"), it's unlikely they pulled off, created an account, and then passed through. No, they're just gonna put up with a mail toll arriving who-knows-when. That just seems unfair to me. WSDOT should at least allow account creation after passing through the toll gantry.

Maybe this situation will encourage Fastrak and Good to Go to become interoperable.

Perhaps only technically, they will be systems in neighboring states, with less than a day's drive between the other. So yes, I think it would be a good thing to consider.

Luckily, if ODOT ever implements tolls on their freeways, they'd likely use a Good-to-Go compatible system since the Portland area will already have Good-to-Go hardware installed and in regular use (once I-5 is tolled). This will only accelerate the need to combine the two systems, at least technically.

[kalvado]

Not sure how things would be done in WA, but I believe IL has a similar option which allows toll-by-plate rather than full toll-by-mail within a certain window after the trip. 
It would be wise to allow account creation within a day or two after the trip with retroactive billing. Not sure if that is implemented, of course. 

[doorknob60]

The problem is still having to do everything beforehand. We should not expect drivers to create accounts for a toll bridge ahead of time when those without existing accounts are likely those using it once or twice, maximum, and almost certainly weren't aware of the toll beforehand. Or if they were (such as a sign saying "toll bridge 20 miles"), it's unlikely they pulled off, created an account, and then passed through. No, they're just gonna put up with a mail toll arriving who-knows-when. That just seems unfair to me. WSDOT should at least allow account creation after passing through the toll gantry.

Sounds like they sort of offer that option, maybe in a different way than other states do. If after getting your bill in the mail, you choose to create an account (instead of simply paying the mail toll), you'll still get the discounted rate. Seems pretty generous all things considered.

What if I already drove on a toll road without an account?
    No worries, it's not too late to lower your bill after you get in the mail. You'll have the option to create an account as you pay your bill.

https://mygoodtogo.com/EN/learn/how-to-pay/accounts

[stevashe]

The problem is still having to do everything beforehand. We should not expect drivers to create accounts for a toll bridge ahead of time when those without existing accounts are likely those using it once or twice, maximum, and almost certainly weren't aware of the toll beforehand. Or if they were (such as a sign saying "toll bridge 20 miles"), it's unlikely they pulled off, created an account, and then passed through. No, they're just gonna put up with a mail toll arriving who-knows-when. That just seems unfair to me. WSDOT should at least allow account creation after passing through the toll gantry.

Sounds like they sort of offer that option, maybe in a different way than other states do. If after getting your bill in the mail, you choose to create an account (instead of simply paying the mail toll), you'll still get the discounted rate. Seems pretty generous all things considered.

Actually, you can also just set up a pay-by-plate account after the fact and avoid getting the bill in the mail if you are quick! When you create an account and add a vehicle, you can set an effective date/time up to 72 hours in the past.


WSDOT just does not advertise the pay-by-plate option or communicate how it works very well, as shown by the fact that you didn't even know about it until doorknob's post (I don't know this for sure, but I suspect WSDOT doesn't talk about this much because they'd prefer that people just get a pass instead).

[jakeroot]

The problem is still having to do everything beforehand. We should not expect drivers to create accounts for a toll bridge ahead of time when those without existing accounts are likely those using it once or twice, maximum, and almost certainly weren't aware of the toll beforehand. Or if they were (such as a sign saying "toll bridge 20 miles"), it's unlikely they pulled off, created an account, and then passed through. No, they're just gonna put up with a mail toll arriving who-knows-when. That just seems unfair to me. WSDOT should at least allow account creation after passing through the toll gantry.

Sounds like they sort of offer that option, maybe in a different way than other states do. If after getting your bill in the mail, you choose to create an account (instead of simply paying the mail toll), you'll still get the discounted rate. Seems pretty generous all things considered.

Actually, you can also just set up a pay-by-plate account after the fact and avoid getting the bill in the mail if you are quick! When you create an account and add a vehicle, you can set an effective date/time up to 72 hours in the past.


WSDOT just does not advertise the pay-by-plate option or communicate how it works very well, as shown by the fact that you didn't even know about it until doorknob's post (I don't know this for sure, but I suspect WSDOT doesn't talk about this much because they'd prefer that people just get a pass instead).

I'm glad to hear it can be setup after the fact.

They really just need a sign after the I-5 Bridge that reads "pay online: mygoodtogo..."

[Sub-Urbanite]

The old plan had Oregon starting its OWN tolling system (for Interstate Bridge and other tolls / congestion pricing in the metro area like on 205)... now that that's been dropped, the new Interstate Bridge will just use Good 2 Go.

I really don't understand why every state wants / needs to reinvent the wheel here. I kiiiiinda get Good2Go and FastTrak not being interoperational - it's 750 miles from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Carquinez Bridge – but at a minimum the PNW should be on the same page.

[vdeane]

I really don't understand why every state wants / needs to reinvent the wheel here. I kiiiiinda get Good2Go and FastTrak not being interoperational - it's 750 miles from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to the Carquinez Bridge – but at a minimum the PNW should be on the same page.

The worst offender in that respect is actually Michigan.  EVERY jurisdiction they border (not just other states, but Ontario, too) either takes E-ZPass or borders a jurisdiction that does.  Do their toll facilities that are introducing transponders after previously only taking cash or not being a toll facility think to join?  Nope.

[stevashe]

The problem is still having to do everything beforehand. We should not expect drivers to create accounts for a toll bridge ahead of time when those without existing accounts are likely those using it once or twice, maximum, and almost certainly weren't aware of the toll beforehand. Or if they were (such as a sign saying "toll bridge 20 miles"), it's unlikely they pulled off, created an account, and then passed through. No, they're just gonna put up with a mail toll arriving who-knows-when. That just seems unfair to me. WSDOT should at least allow account creation after passing through the toll gantry.

Sounds like they sort of offer that option, maybe in a different way than other states do. If after getting your bill in the mail, you choose to create an account (instead of simply paying the mail toll), you'll still get the discounted rate. Seems pretty generous all things considered.

Actually, you can also just set up a pay-by-plate account after the fact and avoid getting the bill in the mail if you are quick! When you create an account and add a vehicle, you can set an effective date/time up to 72 hours in the past.


WSDOT just does not advertise the pay-by-plate option or communicate how it works very well, as shown by the fact that you didn't even know about it until doorknob's post (I don't know this for sure, but I suspect WSDOT doesn't talk about this much because they'd prefer that people just get a pass instead).

I'm glad to hear it can be setup after the fact.

They really just need a sign after the I-5 Bridge that reads "pay online: mygoodtogo..."

I agree completely. They should have signs like that after every toll facility; that is the one thing they are missing that would complete the system.

[pderocco]

I'm glad to hear it can be setup after the fact.

They really just need a sign after the I-5 Bridge that reads "pay online: mygoodtogo..."

I agree completely. They should have signs like that after every toll facility; that is the one thing they are missing that would complete the system.

California's FasTrak took it one step further. After paying by plate a few times, they sent me, unsolicited, a stick-on transponder, and all I had to do was stick it on, and activate it online.

[ErmineNotyours]

Designs unveiled for new I-5 bridge between Washington, Oregon

[TEG24601]

This new design looks awfully plain.  Wasn't there a huge uproar over the construction of the Marquam and Glenn Jackson bridges because of how "plain" they looked, which is what created the Freemont Bridge?

[pderocco]

Don'tcha just lower the river?