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Seattle woman questions $1,066 toll bill that led to expired tabs

Jennifer Dougherty owes more than $1,000 in Good To Go! tolls. She said she never got a bill in the mail.

SEATTLE — Jennifer Dougherty has been frustrated for months. 

In September, she went to renew her car tabs, but was denied because she had unpaid WSDOT tolls. 

"They said I owed $500 and I said, 'Well, I don't understand, I've never gotten a toll bill,'" she said. 

The person on the other end of the line said they would look into why she never got a bill mailed to her. After not hearing back for a few weeks, she called and checked again. Her tabs were expired by then and Dougherty was told she would get a letter that would explain her car tab situation while WSDOT looked into it. 

She says no letter came. She called the customer service line again and found out she owed $1,066. 

"I was like, 'I don't have that kind of money.' I don't understand," she said.

Patricia Michaud, the Customer Service Operations Manager with WSDOT, says the department was busy recently fielding questions about tolling and Good To Go! passes since tolling began in the SR 99 tunnel. 

There are many reasons why a bill wouldn't make it in the mail: wrong credit card information, a recently sold car with different plates, or outdated information with the Department of Licensing, according to Michaud.

"It depends on the situation. But often, when they get caught off guard, they've moved and haven't updated their address with the Department of Licensing and we'll take care of it. We'll work with the customer to resolve it," Michaud said. 

WSDOT says they are currently working with Dougherty on a solution, but want to remind everyone that now is a good time to activate Good To Go! passes and to maintain their accounts to avoid issues with mailed bills. 

RELATED: Seattle tunnel tolls now in effect: 5 things to know

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