HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2038

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by House Committee On:

Transportation

Title: An act relating to pavement condition reporting requirements.

Brief Description: Concerning pavement condition reporting requirements.

Sponsors: Representatives Ramos, Orcutt, Eslick and Fey.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Transportation: 2/28/19 [DP].

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Repeals the current statute regarding pavement condition reporting by cities and towns.

  • Creates a requirement that the Washington State Department of Transportation continue to measure pavement condition where these measurements are currently taken.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 28 members: Representatives Fey, Chair; Slatter, 2nd Vice Chair; Valdez, 2nd Vice Chair; Wylie, 1st Vice Chair; Barkis, Ranking Minority Member; Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Young, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chambers, Chapman, Dent, Doglio, Dufault, Entenman, Eslick, Gregerson, Irwin, Kloba, Lovick, McCaslin, Mead, Orcutt, Ortiz-Self, Pellicciotti, Ramos, Riccelli, Shea, Shewmake and Van Werven.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Boehnke and Goehner.

Staff: David Munnecke (786-7315).

Background:

Cities and towns are required to report preservation rating information on 80 percent of their arterial network to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The cities and towns rating systems must be based on the Washington pavement rating method or an equivalent standard approved by the WSDOT. This requirement is currently suspended for the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium.

In 2017 the WSDOT, in consultation with cities, towns, and the Washington State Transportation Commission, completed a statutorily required report, which recommended that the current preservation rating information reporting requirement be modified so that cities and towns only be required to report their latest average pavement condition on a biennial basis.

Federal requirements in the Moving Ahead for Progress (MAP-21) and Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) acts contain performance measures that require the WSDOT to collect pavement conditions on both the WSDOT and locally owned portions of the National Highway System (NHS). Over 850 miles of principal arterials in cities are part of the NHS.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Summary of Bill:

The current requirements for all cities and towns to report preservation rating information on a percentage of their arterial network to the WSDOT is repealed.

The WSDOT is required to continue to collect preservation rating information in areas where these measurements are currently taken.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill is similar to another bill, which was designed to reduce pavement requirements for cities and towns. There was a realization that the pavement reporting requirement could be removed completely, but the WSDOT should still be required to report, hence the new bill.

The WSDOT already collects arterial data, as do cities, towns, and the Transportation Improvement Board.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Ramos, prime sponsor; and Logan Bahr, Association of Washington Cities.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.