The Washington State Department of Transportation will receive a $6.4 million settlement from a toll vendor to pay for costs related to delays in the starting of tolling on State Route 520 last year.

In the agreement, WSDOT will recoup $2.4 million by reducing monthly operational payments to Electronic Transaction Consultants, the toll company that was recommended by a panel of experts last year.

WSDOT also receives a license for ETC’s software as part of the settlement. The royalty-free license provides access to ETC’s toll-system code, related software and background documents necessary to operate the statewide tolling customer service center and manage the toll-accounting system. Valued by an independent consultant at $4 million, the license provides WSDOT some insurance outside its contract with ETC.

Tolling was projected to start in mid-2012, but the delays pushed the initial date back to Dec. 29.

Stone said the goal of any settlement is to fairly assess responsibility and recoup costs for actual damages.

“This agreement ensures the state and taxpayer are compensated while avoiding what could have been significant litigation costs,” WSDOT Toll Division Director Craig Stone said. “Costs will be recovered and bridge toll payers will be held harmless.”