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WSDOT updates Kent on SR 509 Gateway progress; first mile open for trial use
Summary
Washington State Department of Transportation officials told Kent council the first mile of the SR 509 expressway is open and will operate tolling on a time‑of‑day schedule after a testing period; toll rates will range from $1.20 to $2.40 across the three‑mile corridor and a low‑income toll policy is scheduled for late 2026.
Representatives of the Puget Sound Gateway Program updated Kent City Council on June 30 about the SR 509 completion schedule, tolling policy and community outreach as Washington State prepares to open additional segments.
Why it matters: Kent's economy depends heavily on freight and distribution; SR 509 is intended to improve freight access between deepwater ports, the airport and Kent Valley businesses. Tolling and traffic patterns could affect local road use and freight mobility.
John White, program administrator for the Puget Sound Gateway Program, said the first mile of the 509 expressway is open to drivers now. "You can go and drive that first mile now," White said, and WSDOT will run a testing period. He said the program is funded at about $2.83 billion with a mix of federal, state, local and toll funding and that the Washington State Transportation Commission set toll policies that vary by time of day.
White and Andre Chapelle described toll policy detail: the approved toll schedule for SR 509 varies by time of day with a low of $1.20 and a high of $2.40 for the three‑mile new expressway; trucks will pay additional per‑axle multipliers. White said the commission also set a planned toll escalation of about 2% per year starting in 2031, and that a low‑income toll assistance policy authorized by the legislature is scheduled for implementation by late 2026 after administrative steps and verification processes are completed.
Officials said WSDOT will run about 90 days of toll testing during which people can use the new segment free to try it. The existing parts of SR 509 outside the new expressway will remain untolled, White said, and agencies will monitor travel patterns to understand whether traffic is drawn into the new corridor.
Chapelle described construction staging: SR 509 will be delivered in three stages (1a, 1b, and stage 2). Stage 1b improvements include auxiliary lanes, a new bridge and the first mile of four‑lane highway; stage 2 completes the remaining two miles of expressway and other interchange work with an anticipated opening to traffic in mid‑2028.
On outreach, WSDOT officials said they will run public education and community events during the summer — fairs, bus ads and on‑the‑ground community contacts — and that Kent events (Cornucopia Days, Kent International Festival, weekend farmers markets) are venues to reach local residents.
Council members asked about toll escalation and potential spillover onto city streets. White and Chapelle said the Transportation Commission's escalation policy is intended to keep pace with inflation and that the agency is monitoring local traffic and has a baseline to compare changes and work with cities if adjustment is needed.
Next steps: WSDOT will continue outreach during the 90‑day toll testing period, implement the low‑income policy steps next year and continue construction on stage 2 toward a mid‑2028 opening for the remainder of the expressway.
