There's been a lot going on right now about tolling I-90. For now, the opponents of this seem to be the most vociferous, but they really enjoy spouting out impressive amounts of false information just so they don't have to pay a toll they've deserved their whole lives. I invite you to watch a few videos on this, as well as the recent Mercer Island Reporter article here, where a Representative proposes an even more regressive, idiotic solution to the tolling: http://www.mi-reporter.com/news/195469211.html.
DISCLAIMER: Before I go on this rant, I want to establish that I FULLY RECOGNIZE some reasons not to toll I-90 and concede that there are a few important, reasonable arguments. Some data, particularly on tolling rates, which are definitely subject to change, might not be exact, but it captures the main point of the argument used in any case. No portion of this post is meant to be offensive or passive-aggressive in any way, even if it may seem so.
Here are the reasons, anyways:
1. They deserve a toll
Mercer Islanders have it nice, right? Comparing their island to a castle in a moat wouldn't be exactly unreasonable. They live in nice houses for the most part, live in a fairly secluded, calm community with low crime rates, and they have scenery to brag about. For an upper middle class or rich family, it would seem like the ideal suburb to raise children in for those reasons.
They also have convenient access to the two largest city centers in the area, both within a fifteen minute drive from their island. It makes a commute or a trip to go shopping really convenient. All they have to do is hop in their car!
Here's the only problem they face: they rely solely on the I-90 for everything they need. Everything. Imagine Mercer Island without the two bridges that link it to Bellevue and Seattle: it would not exist. People would have to commute by boat. They rely on two outlandishly expensive bridges to get where they need to be daily, even hourly.
And guess what? Not one current Mercer Islander has payed a penny for this privilege. The combined cost for both bridges that connect them to Seattle and Bellevue was billions of dollars, excluding repairs that were needed over the years. And the 22,000 residents of the island use it on a multiple times per day basis. They definitely deserve the toll.
2. The toll would actually help them
The biggest problem that I have with complaining Mercer Islanders about this proposed toll is that they don't seem to understand that the toll will actually help them and their community.
First, the toll would reduce the traffic significantly and give them their utopian commute to work back. Not once during commuting hours will the I-90 not be packed with stop-and-go traffic, and the Mercer Islanders don't seem to understand the effect the toll would have on this, or choose to simply ignore it.
Also, the toll would pay for improvements that would directly support them and their community, contrary to what they claim it would do. While not every penny of it will make their lives significantly better, much of it will concern them in some way or another. And not all of it should concern them either: they are not the only ones who will pay for the toll.
Because the toll would reduce traffic and spread commutes on the 520 and I-90 back to a normal amount, air quality would improve. The gridlock and stop-and-go traffic on the I-90 greatly increases the toxins and fumes from cars on the island, because much of the traffic on the I-90 is found on Mercer Island: this way, they can preserve their vast quantity of parks and nature.
3. They can pay for the toll
The representatives of Mercer Island complain about the cost of the toll overtime for them, but also the cost of the toll for anybody else who would use the bridge daily in their commute.
Let's get Mercer Islanders out of the way first. According to CNNMoney, the median family income of residents on M.I. is $146,570. Assuming toll rates are the same as on the 520, and assuming the residents commute during the peak hour of the toll rates with a Good to Go pass, 3.59*2=7.18 and 7.18*30=215.40 and 215.40*12= 2584.80. Counting other trips, an average year for Mercer Islanders would presumably cost $3000-3500 per year in toll fees, which given that they make $146,570 a year as a median value, is completely feasible, especially considering the privilege they have had all of these years (according to CNNMoney, the median commute time is only 21.2 minutes).
A more pressing question is that of other commuters that would use I-90 to get to work. For Bellevue residents, it is equally fair: the median income there (according to CNNMoney) is just over 100K per year, and considering commuters would use it much less due to the fact that Bellevue is growing as a city, they would end up paying $2600 in tolls, using the math above, which is also completely feasible and proportional to income.
And this is assuming people will take cars every time they go out, not the bus or light rail, as they should be, especially considering rising gas prices!
4. It would provide incentives to commute in greener ways
According to CNNMoney, only 2.2% of Mercer Islanders commute by walking or biking, and for Bellevue, the number is 3.5%. Considering the large bike right-of-ways, this number should be higher already, and the toll would help boost this number.
Transit use would also increase. Already, Mercer Island Park and Ride sees a fair amount of use, but the installment of East Link by 2023 will increase this number and decrease the effect of the tolls on everybody smart enough to actually use it.
Using transit and biking is also significantly healthier, and while it seems a trivial point, it would also help to increase the overall quality of life.
Toll Rates from WSDOT