FINAL BILL REPORT

EHB 1433

C 232 L 04

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Designating highways of statewide significance.

Sponsors: By Representatives Cooper, Pearson, Lovick and Kristiansen.

House Committee on Transportation

Senate Committee on Highways & Transportation

Background:

In 1998 the Legislature directed the Transportation Commission (Commission) to designate highways of statewide significance. At a minimum, this designation was to include interstate highways and other statewide principal arterials needed to connect major communities across the state and support the state's economy.

The Commission refined the criteria and designated certain highways as highways of statewide significance. For a highway to be designated as a highway of statewide significance the highway must be a state highway, a principal arterial that is part of the national highway system, and a rural route serving statewide travel or an urban route with certain connectivity characteristics or freight volumes.

In 2002 the regional transportation investment district legislation empowered the Legislature to also designate state highways of statewide significance and made that designation of a portion of State Route 509. The legislation also required that 90 percent of investment district revenues be expended along highways of statewide significance corridors.

Designation of a highway route as a highway of statewide significance means the improvements along the route are higher priority. It also means that improvements are essential public facilities under Growth Management Act (GMA) plans, GMA concurrency requirements do not apply, and the state is responsible for establishing level of service standards.

Summary:

The Legislature designates as highways of statewide significance those designated by Transportation Commission Resolution Number 660 as adopted on January 21, 2004.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 95  0

Senate 48  0    (Senate amended)

House 97  0    (House concurred)

Effective: June 10, 2004