FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1740

                                   C 98 L 88

BYHouse Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Prince, Unsoeld, Silver, Hankins, Lewis, Patrick, Dellwo, Brough, Sanders, Doty, Rayburn and Ferguson)

Providing for informational highway signs and traffic fatality markers.

House Committe on Transportation

Senate Committee on Transportation

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The Student Highway Safety Committee at Washington State University has been actively pursuing the establishment of a highway fatality sign program.

About 50 years ago, several states began to install white crosses along the highway where fatal accidents occurred.  These crosses were donated and installed by service organizations in an effort to alert motorists of fatal accident locations and to reduce highway deaths.  State highway agencies permitted the service organizations to install the crosses on highway right-of-ways.  The marking programs slowly began to disappear due to either disinterest or the enactment of the Federal Highway Beautification Act in October, 1965.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is directed to conduct a four-year demonstration project of allowing highway fatality markers.  The markers may be installed along SR 26 between Colfax and Vantage, SR 270 from Pullman to the Idaho border and SR 195 between Pullman and Colfax.  The markers are installed as close as possible to the highway right-of-way without obstructing the view of the motoring public.

A "highway fatality marker" is a sign designed by the DOT that is placed at or near the location of a traffic fatality.  Each marker represents the loss of one life.

Both local governmental agencies, and private individuals and groups, may apply to the DOT for a permit to erect a fatality marker within the demonstration area.  The application contains a consent statement from the owner of the land upon which the proposed marker is to be placed.

An applicant with an approved permit is responsible for the erection and maintenance of the marker as specified in the permit.  Markers that are illegally erected are to be immediately removed by the permittee.  A family member of the deceased may request removal of a marker.

The DOT is directed to confer with agencies and individuals within the demonstration area when developing administrative rules for the marker program.  Upon request, the department will provide information on the location of fatal accidents in the demonstration area.

The expiration date of the marker program is December 31, 1992.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 97   0

      Senate    48     0

EFFECTIVE:June 9, 1988