What Will You Do When Tolling Starts? (Vancouver: income, income tax)

[9-percent-of-my-income]

I know I will start seriously looking for a job in Washington. What will you do once they start tolling I-5 and possible 205?

[st33lcas3]

Anyone living in WA and working in OR is already tolled. They call it income tax though.

Do you think those people will get breaks?

[9-percent-of-my-income]

They won't give commuters a break. Maybe a yearly pass that saves $20 dollars or something, but we'll still have to pay it. All of this in addition to our income tax that provides absolutely no benefits or services to us.

[Dignan]

My understanding is that tolling isn't supposed to start until the bridge is finished, which is about seven years from now. I guess I'll make the decision when the time comes closer.

If traffic to downtown Portland is as bad by then as I expect it will be, I'll probably take mass transit just to save my sanity.

[OrygunBorn]

Will they ever (with WA voter approval) extend MAX to Vancouver?

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by OrygunBorn

Will they ever (with WA voter approval) extend MAX to Vancouver?

With WA voter approval and WA funding, sure. Doubt they'll get voter approval, though.

If I still lived there I'd vote for it, but then I never saw Vancouver and Portland as completely separate entities the way a lot of people (on both sides of the river) seem to.

[cdelena]

Originally Posted by OrygunBorn

Will they ever (with WA voter approval) extend MAX to Vancouver?

Multiple challenges:

1. Need to have a multi-billion dollar bridge upgrade.

2. No lightrail system in the world supports operations on fares so Clark County will have to vote a new tax to run the system. (It is assumed the Federal governemnt will pay for the capital costs).

3. Routes in Vancouver will disrupt established nieghborhoods so there is limited support.

There are many interrelated issues involving the bridge, possible passenger density, routes, funding, and public support.

I would not hold my breath waiting for it.

[scottsostuff]

If you have lived here long enough you'll remember that we used to pay toll to go over the I-5 bridge. It will be interesting to see what happens.