WSDOT outlines 24‑month planning and baseline approach for toll performance monitoring

Ed Barry, Toll Division Director at WSDOT, presented the agency’s standard for performance monitoring when launching toll facilities and said the monitoring program for the I‑5 replacement will follow a 24‑month planning period leading into baseline data collection and then go‑live reporting after commencement. WSDOT’s plan includes daily reports in the first week after launch, weekly reports for the first month, quarterly summaries and annual reports thereafter.

Barry stressed the importance of partnering with state and local agencies, transit and freight operators, ports and planning organizations to define monitoring boundaries (how far from the bridge to measure), identify available partner data, and agree on methods and comparison periods (equivalent season baselines). He cautioned that monitoring can show what changed after tolling but not always why, because weather, incidents and other projects also affect travel patterns.