Question: “I heard that WSU specialty plates – the all-crimson ones – aren’t registering on the toll cameras on the Narrows Bridge and the 520 Bridge in Seattle. Is this for real? Are Cougs getting a free ride?
— Craig, Puyallup
Answer: Annie Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Washington State Transportation Department, says she’s heard the rumor, but it’s not true.
“We don’t know of any issues that are preventing us from reading license plates on the bridge,” Johnson said.
We had to ask: If they aren’t registering, how would anybody know?
“The image-review process is both automated and manual,” Johnson said. “If the photo of the license plate can’t be read by the optical reader (via the automated system) they are then reviewed by a human.”
If the plate matches a valid Good To Go account, the toll is automatically deducted, Johnson said. If the license plate isn’t listed on an account, the registered owner will be sent a toll bill approximately 14 days after crossing the bridge.
And say an upstanding Cougar crosses the bridge and never gets a bill?
“If they don’t get a toll bill after 14 days we encourage folks to call our customer service center,” Johnson said. “We can look into it for them.”
rob.carson@thenewstribune.com
253-597-8693
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