In response to “I-5 Bridge tolling bill approved by Washington House” (The Columbian, April 19): Introducing a toll onto the I-5 Bridge would be completely illogical for multiple reasons. First, it would have a terrible effect on civilian life. This would be completely detrimental to the livelihood of those who live in one state but cross the bridge twice per day to work on the other side.
On top of this, taxes and other forms of revenue should be enough to cover the extra funds lost, given that the toll is only projected to cover around one-sixth of the funds necessary to rebuild the bridge. If the bridge fund can secure $5 billion, there should be no need for the civilians to have to personally donate every single time they cross the bridge in order to cover the remaining costs.
Building a new bridge is already going to be a major traffic inconvenience for anyone who lives near the I-5 Bridge, and so adding a fee and more inconvenience to those who use it most seems counterintuitive, as they are effectively paying for a less streamlined experience than what the current system offers.
