Traffic flows easily on second day of 520 tolls

Low traffic volumes marked the second day of tolls on the 520 Floating Bridge, said KIRO 7 Eyewitness News crews covering both 520 and the Interstate 90 bridge Friday morning.

The New Year's holiday kept many people off the roads but the Department of Transportation was gearing up for the first big commute with tolls on Tuesday morning.

On the toll-free I-90 bridge, traffic was light on Friday morning. Traffic volumes on I-90 were somewhat higher than normal for the holiday week on Thursday.  Traffic on State Route 522 around the north end of the lake was higher than normal as well.

WSDOT officials said there were no problems with the tolling equipment on Thursday. Three-fourths of drivers crossing the bridge during the peak commute had a Good to Go pass -- a better number than expected, they said.

Drivers without the Good to Go sticker are billed by mail for the tolls -- which vary by time of day -- plus a $1.50 surcharge.

Officials say the real test will come next Tuesday, when more people return to work.