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The bridge was engineered to accommodate a Link light rail extension with two options

(both requiring 30 additional pontoons): one option would be 116 feet (35 m) wide with
two lanes each direction, plus light rail to replace the HOV lanes; the other 150-foot-wide

(46 m) option would retain the HOV lanes, two general purpose lanes in each direction,
and add light rail.

5.7. TOLLING

Electronic tolling with the "Good to Go" system on the old bridge began in 2011 tolling
on the new bridge was in place from its opening in 2016. The tolls are projected to generate

$1.2 billion by 2056, used to pay off bond issues for the project as well as bridge operations
and maintenance, debt service, future repairs, insurance, and deferred sales tax.

5.8. OPENING AND REMOVAL OF OLD BRIDGE

The new bridge was dedicated on April 2, 2016, in a ceremony presided over by Governor
of Washington Jay Inslee and attended by an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 people. The

ceremony also included a community fun run and walk on the bridge, and a bicycle ride

hosted by the Cascade Bicycle Club on the bridge and the Interstate 5 express lanes the
following day. As part of the opening ceremonies, the bridge was certified as the world's

longest floating bridge by Guinness World Records, at 7,708.49 feet (2,349.55 m) long; the
bridge took the record from the previous Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, which is 130

feet (40 m) shorter in length.

Traffic on the new bridge was shifted over in two stages, beginning with westbound traffic

on April 11 and ending with eastbound traffic on April 25. Initially, the bridge narrowed
from 6 lanes to 4 lanes at the end of the floating span, over 1.2 miles (1.9 km) east of

the Montlake Boulevard interchange, and was not fully traversable for bicyclists and

pedestrians. The new westbound approach bridge opened in August 2017, with later
revisions to extend the HOV lane towards the Montlake interchange. The bridge's multi-

use bike and pedestrian path partially opened in July 2016, with access to the completed
sections for an "out-and-back" experience, and fully opened on December 20, 2017.

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