At this point the only way to ease the problem is to eliminate not only the tolls but the HOV lanes as well. Letting everyone have equal access to all the Interstate 405 and State Route 167 lanes was one of the Mobility 21 study recommendations. Normally, HOV lanes can be justified by making public transit more attractive. Yet Sound Transit’s version of public transit from Everett and Lynnwood, the ST532 and ST535 bus lines, is limited to 15 buses during the three-hour morning commute.

Sound Transit could probably fill 10 times that number if they chose to provide additional park-and-ride lots in the Everett/Lynnwood area and bus routes connecting them to the Bellevue and Overlake transit centers. Once they begin to do so, the HOV lanes can be justified to facilitate bus routes. As bus traffic increases, it may be necessary to implement a three-occupant requirement on HOV lanes to minimize transit commute times. The fact that additional thousands will have the option of using public transit makes it far less likely and onerous. In any case, tolls should be a thing of the past and everyone will benefit.