A pair of lawmakers are behind the wheel of a new bill regarding issues with Express Toll Lanes on Interstate 405 between Bellevue and Lynnwood.

Sen. Andy Hill of the 45th Legislative District, which includes Redmond, and Sen. Mark Harmsworth of the 44th Legislative District are proposing changes to improve toll-lane policies and reduce congestion. Last month they announced the bill they’re sponsoring to address issues raised by thousands of constituents, including traffic safety and technical glitches with paying the tolls, according to a press release.

The proposed bill will be introduced at the 2016 legislative session, which is scheduled to begin on Jan. 11.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) launched the toll lanes on Sept. 27, 2015.

“While large-scale projects require an adjustment period, WSDOT’s toll-lane implementation has not demonstrated they’re going to make this work for users,” said Hill, of Redmond, who serves as chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “Drivers simply aren’t getting the service, congestion relief and overall system improvements they were promised. I had concerns from the beginning, but worked to improve the system and the implementation to make it work best for our community. However it’s become clear project leaders aren’t going to take bold action needed to make this successful.”

Added Harmsworth of Mill Creek, who serves as assistant ranking member on the House Transportation Committee: “Our proposal is to ratchet back the failed system that WSDOT has implemented. The constituents I’m hearing from are experiencing longer commute times and more congestion as they go about their daily lives. It’s unacceptable to wait any longer to address this.”

According to Ethan Bergerson, WSDOT spokesperson, the toll lanes are the result of more than a decade of planning and coordination between the state and local communities along the I-405 corridor.

“The project reflects the input of the local communities, the public and many other stakeholders who participated in this public process over the years,” he said. “There is already a plan in place that will hold the I-405 Express Toll Lanes accountable. If, after two years, the system is not meeting state requirements for speed and reliability, the state Legislature would determine whether to remove the lanes.”

Based on the experience WSDOT has heard from other cities across the country with similar toll lanes, they expected a learning curve of about six months to a year for drivers to adjust, Bergerson said. He added that some drivers using the toll lanes have experienced a more reliable trip and WSDOT has heard positive stories from them. WSDOT has also heard concerns from other drivers regarding traffic congestion and they take those comments seriously.

“While its performance so far has been promising, more time is needed to demonstrate the success of Express Toll Lanes,” said Bergerson. “We will continue to work closely with the Legislature to share information on operations of express toll lanes and what improvements we plan to make.” This includes making striping changes at certain locations to improve access and reduce confusion.

One of the changes lawmakers are focused on is requiring WSDOT to use only one toll lane each way throughout the corridor and open all lanes to unrestricted use not subject to tolls between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. and on state holidays, the press release states.  Toll rates start as low as 75 cents, but increase up to $10 depending on congestion in the general purpose lanes. The Washington State Transportation Commission had originally proposed a $15 maximum toll, but Hill and three Senate colleagues worked with the commission to reduce the top price to $10.

On the toll-fee front, last week it was discovered that a glitch in the I-405 toll lanes incorrectly charged all drivers using the lanes between Dec. 17 and Dec. 25, according to WSDOT. All drivers who took the toll lanes on both north and southbound lanes were either under or overcharged, said Bergerson.

“Once the problem was identified, Schneider Electric immediately fixed the problem,” he said.

Schneider Electric is the tolling company responsible for operating the lanes and equipment. In a statement, the company said all drivers who were charged during the system glitch will be charged the base rate of 75 cents per trip. The company will cover the cost of any lost revenue to WSDOT. On average, drivers were charged between 56 cents more, or almost $2 less than they should have been, the department said.

In other toll-lane news, Woodinville-based Stop405Tolls.org launched a petition last month and noted in a Dec. 23 blog entry that it received 26,000 signatures. They received statewide and national attention, including people in Los Angeles, where Express Toll Lanes have also been implemented, and Tampa, Fla., where lanes are being considered.

Aaron Kunkler of the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter contributed to this story.