Subject of Possible Rule Making: State Route (SR) 167 high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes and I-405 express toll lanes (ETL); toll rate policies.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 47.56.795, 47.56.850, 47.56.880, 47.56.884, 47.56.886, and 47.56.888.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Toll system upgrades are planned to be completed on the SR 167 corridor by December 2025, which will bring photo tolling options to the SR 167 HOT lanes consistent with the existing express toll lane system on I-405. In support of these upgrades, the Washington state transportation commission (WSTC) must implement toll rates for pay-by-mail transactions on SR 167. WSTC is also considering including additional toll policy changes for both SR 167 HOT lanes and I-405 ETLs as part of this rule.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Other agencies that regulate this subject are the Washington state department of transportation as the operator of the tolled facilities, and the office of the state treasurer who oversees the financing of tolled facilities. WSTC works closely, and coordinates with, both agencies in developing toll setting proposals and carrying out the rule-making process for making toll adjustments.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Carl See, WSTC, P.O. Box 47308, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-705-7070, email transc@wstc.wa.gov, website http://www.wstc.wa.gov.