The City Council formally approved a resolution that discourages the state’s Tolling Commission from tolling I-90 to help fund a new SR-520 bridge.

The resolution states that Islanders “would have to pay a fee penalty each time they traveled to or from their city” if tolls were imposed on I-90. It also states that tolls would “place a disproportionate share of the costs on Mercer Island residents.”

A letter sent to Bob Drewel, the Chair of the Tolling Commission, says that the Council supports tolling to fund large transportation capital projects as long as all tolls collected are identified for the construction, maintenance and improvement of the facility being tolled.

In mid-September, the Council discussed a resolution but did not approve it. During that meeting, Councilmembers proposed additional amendments to a staff-prepared motion. The Council unanimously endorsed the new proposal on Oct. 6.